


Is Five a Herd if Three's a Crowd?

by MissJudith



Category: Bittybones - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bittybones (Undertale), Attempt at Humor, BITTIES, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M, Magic, Magic Revealed, Magic-Users, MamaCrybaby, Pet dog, Reader-Insert, Swearing, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, bitty - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2019-09-02 02:54:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16778182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissJudith/pseuds/MissJudith
Summary: So here's something you need to know about yourself. You live under a rock. Because reasons, why are you asking? This means that the news around town, the stuff everyone else is in the know about. Yeah, you're completely clueless about it. Until you're not. Monsters have surface from the Mountain Ebbot. It took some time but they seem to have finally reach your home base. But there's more to it than Monster's walking along sides humans in the shopping center. A specific breed of Monsters are causing a buzz through the air so intense, even you've come to know about. Crazy, right?The species: Bitties.Down the rabbit hole you go! One way or another, your carefully planned isolated lifestyle is getting thrown to the wind. It's not all sunshine and rainbows in this journey of change, but it's not all bad either. Wait.... No! Stop! Heal! Guys! Come on. We got that new couch three days ago. Ugh.





	1. Hello to You Too Fucker

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy! I'm just another writer here. Don't mind me. You're here to read something interesting and funny? Then why the hell are you here? Go look at some other people's stuff.  
> Eh, since you're already here.... Well I mean. It's not like I want you to or anything. But you're here now so you might as well read what I've done so far. I mean. It only makes sense.  
> And.... If you like what you've read... I mean.... Not that you have too... I'm not forcing you or anything! Don't misunderstand me now! But you better leave a comment for my hard work. Hmph.  
> What are you still doing here? Get reading all ready! STUPID!

So it seems that you're late on the uptake again, seeing as Bitties or is it Bittys, have been going on for three years without you ever noticing. How is that even possible? To your measly defense, you don't really interact with others nor do you keep track of any media. Having cable is overrated, not to mention expensive, and you only use your laptop to play some free games, listen to music, or stream something to watch. Any source of information you do get about the outside world is gained when you go out to do some groceries and your monthly book run. It's definitely not because your level of ignorance is triple digits…

This is probably just as bad as you not noticing that Monsters have resurfaced and had started to live in your town for about half a year at most, before you could tell. Sighing, you push your hair away from your face and behind your ears. A bit pointless seeing as they just fall back in front of your face. Still, old habits and all that. The weather has been pretty mild these past few weeks, for Autumn at least. The few trees that you spot on your walk through town have their leaves in reds and golds. The sky's a bright blue and there's hardly a cloud in sight. You take a deep breathe in and enjoy the moment.

It is because of this good weather that you had venture away from your home to come into town. That and the fact that you were finally ready to see what all the commotion was about Bitties. Some of the new music videos had a few of the little monsters dancing about. There was also that one series where the main protagonist had a pretty sharp looking skeleton on their shoulder. You had first thought that it was some really amazing computer graphics to make the show more interesting. The story was good and the acting was believable enough that you wanted to see who the actors were. One search later and you find that the little skeleton had their own page of other shows and movies he had been in. So down the rabbit hole you went into the latest fab and movement going world wide.

As you were reading up, you come to realize that not many places had Bitty Shelters. If someone wanted to adopt a little monster to care for, and woah was there a variety to choose from, they would have to travel some crazy distances. Each Shelter also had their own rules when it came to adopting. The most unregulated Shelter is the first ever Bitty Center own by a Rabbit Monster call Mama Crybaby. You’ve heard weirder names in your time so that hardly phase you. What did get you was that her center didn’t do any sort of background checks, didn’t ask for any payment, there was nothing for the person who wanted to adopt to do. Except walk into the place and pick a Bitty to take home. That was it. Granted her Center is right by the fable mountain and the travel fees getting there are super expensive. You figured only the rich or most determined adopters would go there.

A little more googling around and you see that there was a Shelter in your town. Since its location was nowhere near the market, library, or bookstore, you never noticed it. Now here you were standing in front of the Bitty Bones Adoption Center. The place is a simple beige rectangle of a building with two large windows on either sides of the motion sensor doors. The windows were mostly covered with tons of posters, some about Cherry's and Poppy's and Soft Bones. A part of you wonder not for the first time, if the person who first named these mini skeletons weren't hungry when they did. It got you to huff out in amusement when you see a tall, for a Bitty that is, furry pastel skeleton poster that says their species name is Teacup.

You stand by the windows reading the posters. Each one giving out the Bitties basic information. Their favorite foods, their personality traits, along with the kind of hobbies that they would commonly part take in. You can see between the gaps of the posters that there were quite a few people already inside. They all seem to be talking to one another, some had Bitties on them while other Bitties were walking about the place. There were so many people and your insides feel twisted and your palms get a bit sweaty. It was a pretty warm day for a long sleeve shirt under your vest all of a sudden, and perhaps coming out when you haven't eaten almost all day wasn't a smart idea.

Turning away from the window you spotted a small café right across the street from you, Eat My Meat. It took you a second for the innuendo to hit home, you could not believe that anyplace would be so daring. And you loved it. A relieved smile quickly crosses your face as you watch for cars while you head over. You had a sudden craving for some fruits, a bagel and a hot cup of flavored water. You check to see how many people were inside before you enter, but it looks to be a slow day. A deep breath in and you push open the door.

There's someone on their laptop on one of the café's couch and two other people in line, so you're feeling more comfortable with the quiet setting. Taking a look at what the café has to offer you don't see any berries to eat, the only fruits are apples and bananas which nope, not what you're craving at the moment. But the place does serve berry tea. Score! There's no bagel but that corn muffin is a damn good second choice. Now all you have to do is wait for your turn. It seems that the person in front of you is really chatting up with the cashier, you search for you headphones as you pull up your music app before….. fwduhgbfdkhbgjfsdlghojd

The phone fumbles in your hands as you push the cord all the way in. You hadn’t meant for your music to be heard by everyone in the store, the once quiet atmosphere gone as everyone turns to give you a quick look. A chuckle escapes you, ignoring everyone and place the buds in their respective earhole. The person in front goes back to chatting, but they seem to be almost done now. You just concentrate on the music that’s now safely playing in your ears only. Once it's finally your turn to order, you lower the volume of your music and place your order to the dude who's managing the cashier.

It takes you a moment to notice that the dude has some wicked fangs and snake eyes. And skin... Oh, it's a Monster and you're not going to stare at him. You pay the total with your card and not flinch when the dude's extremely long forked tongue flickers close to your nose. The action does halt you for a second before you're glaring at the dude. He's putting up an act like he's sorry but the air he's giving out is of someone who's just so done with their job. Though you get it, sort of, that doesn't mean you condone flicking random body parts at strangers just to get a rise out of them. You don't bother listening to him apologize and instead step to the part of the counter where it says 'Pick Up'. Good bet that's where you're supposed to get your tea and muffin from.

Ten whole minutes pass before the chick finally manage to get you your muffin and tea, an unopened tea package to go with your cup of hot water and stale muffin. You thank her anyways and turn to find a seat. A quick look around for a spot and you see that there's a perfect table for two right by the window. The sun is hitting it just so that your feet are taking you there faster than you're taking in the lovely sight. Sigh, now you can relax and watch as others walk by while you can look all hipster. And if your seat allows you to view the Center and everyone who goes in and out of it, well. You hadn’t plan that at all.

~*~

You're halfway through your tea and you've lost ten percent on your phone before you judge it safe for you to attempt another entrance into the Center. You’ve seen two humans walking into the building all cheerful only for one to leave with their head down, and the other skipping down the street. But no Bitties with them. Then some Monsters walk out and they’re chatting along with some Bitties. You were going to question it but then another human walks out the center with a Bitty on their shoulder. Huh.

The muffin is already settling nicely inside your stomach so all you have left is your tea. You chugged the last of it since it's a little past warm and now getting into cool temperatures, and your bladder regrets you doing that so much. One potty break later and you walk out into the brisk air and across the street. Now that the Center isn't as pack maybe the workers won't be eying you as you just try to take a quick look around. Because the thought of being watched as you do a look-see, since it's only an hour and a half till closing time, makes you shiver and think that maybe you should have brought a jacket with you.

Maybe this was a bad idea. Yeah, totally. You don't even need to sate your curiosity all that badly about the Bitties. And you already have a prior commitment to your dog waiting for you back at home. Not that you were even planning on adopting a Bitty anyways. Your dog is already demanding most of your attention and affection. Right, it'd be better for you to just turn around and go back home. No one has to know that you chicken out, not that you did!

Taking a step back, you bump into something solid that was most definitely not there the last time you checked. You can tell that the something you bumped into is a lot larger than you are, so you tilt your head up. There's a muzzle with pointy teeth and drool for you to meet. That something, which is this Monster's chest, starts to rumble and you think that they're mad and you're so screwed. Fuck.

The muzzle is moving and forming words, maybe, but your music is blasting and you can't hear anything but Green Day singing about shadows. Escape is the only thing you think to do and so you quickly take big steps past the doors that opens and hope that if you look at that interesting bookshelf by the back corner, that Monster wont want to bother with you anymore. Please don't mind me!

It's not till the end of the song, with your heart beating at a normal pace and you can finally read what the titles on the spines of the book says, that you get the courage to turn your head. You can see that the Monster, looks like a black wolf, is talking to a worker and being directed past the counter and into the back rooms. You let out a small breath when they disappear from view and lean your head on the shelf. You're tempted to gently bang your head on the wood to help battle off your embarrassment. Probably say sorry to the wolf Monster as well. Though really, you rather never see that Monster ever again for the rest of your life. You don't think you can handle the mortification your actions cause you.

Looking at the books, since you might as well, you pick a thin green one label, _So You Want to Care for a Bitty_ , and quickly skim through it. You had bought and read, cover to cover, the more extensive version on your last monthly shopping trip. This thin version is nothing more than checking facts and seeing if they have any pictures that the other lacks. Which you're sad to find that yes, this book has an adorable photo of the owner of this town's Bitty Adoption Center surrounded with each of her Bitties. Your going to go to the nearest bookshop and you're going to spend that ten dollars with change just for that photo. Why are you a sucker for animal ears?

Putting the book down, you stretch your back and take a look around the inside of the Center. There's one worker who's sweeping the floors, and another by the counter on their phone. It's not the one who took that Monster to the back so you know that so far there's a minimum of three workers. The décor is pretty sparse with a welcome mat by the door that you didn't notice when you escaped inside. Though who can blame you. There's also some blue plastic seats by the right of the Center and a stand with some magazines. So a waiting area, for whatever reason. There's more posters on the walls and one framed photo. A quick look and you see that it's the Bitty Adoption founder, Mama Crybaby standing proudly in front of her Center. You can even see the famous Mount Ebott in the background.

The worker that's by the counter is looking at you now and it doesn’t seem to be a happy look either. Yeah, you figure that you're probably looking a bit sketchy at the moment. You shut off your music and take off your headphones as you walk over to the counter and okay, human male this time. The tag on his shirt says that his name's Jake, not from State Farm though. You hope he can't tell how nervous you are. You want to ask if it was possible for you to just see the Bitties or something really. You couldn't see any walking around the front of the store like you did before, so maybe there was a back room? The Bitties had to be somewhere, how else were people supposed to meet and talk with them?

The moment that you try to talk to him, the dude is already swinging that little door to the other side of the counter. You give him a weird look and he gives you a 'Hurry your ass up' look back.

The Monster from before had gone to the other side and has yet to return. It’s a weird thought to have in a Bitty Center, that once you pass through you might never come back. You blame last night's horror movie marathon bing.

"You do want to see them right? Then get over here and I'll show you to the back where you can meet 'em."

Oh, well then, uh. Awkward staring now. As you start to follow Jake to the back of the store, you can hear the other worker chuckling. Geez, they should get some AC up in here, you were heating up. Your eyes start to wonder about as you try to distract yourself. You can see a few doors that you walk by and can't help but wonder what's behind them. Jake leads you into a side hallway that has three large rooms to each side. Each room has a door that only come up to your waist, reminds you of the rooms that people who go to play with the pets that the animal shelters use. So these rooms might be where you get to meet and spend time with the Bitties. With the wall and attached door being short, its most likely meant as an easy escape for both parties. You remember that Bitties have magic and that most of the Sans and a Papyrus can teleport.

But the low door also allows you to get a good look inside. You pass through a few rooms that have Monsters and Humans inside with Bitties hanging off of them. It's sweet and you feel yourself smiling at the scene. Until you reach the last two rooms and one of those rooms has the wolf Monster in them. You see them on the floor with three Bitties on different parts of their being. A Punny is chewing on the wolf Monster's left ear and a Softy is dozing on their lap. There's a Baby Blue that's on their paw... and talking very excitingly about something? Odd, you can't hear any sound even though you can see the Bitty's mouth moving. Now that you think about it, with all the other people in their rooms, this hall sound be lively with conversation. But you can only pick up the sounds of your own musings. Jacks footsteps were pretty loud as well.

You look back at the other rooms, theories quickly spring in your head about advance soundproofing methods. The easiest and simplest answer would be magic. Since the wolf Monster and Bitties have yet to notice you, you quickly enter the unoccupied room and sit in one of the two available chairs in the corner. Jake held the door open for you as he walks in and sits on the only other chair. He's staring at you pretty hard for no reason you can think off. Was there something on your face besides the skin you were born with? Were there muffin crumbs you didn’t notice were there when you went to the bathroom? You want to merge with the seat to get away. It had felt like hours pass before he exhales and shakes his head.

"Seeing as this is your first time here-," Jake gives you a look for confirmation, so you nod-, "then I'm going to quickly lay down how this works."

He mumbles something and turns his head so he's facing one of the walls. Which is much better for your rattling nerves. Jack crosses his arms over his chest while he leans back on the chair. His posture seems to look like he’s relax, but the furrow of his brow doesn’t match. You attempt to mimic his style in your own awkward way in hopes to feel any sort of comfort with social interaction.

"Alright. So I'm sure you notice that you're only shown this hallway. It's call the Wait and See Hall. These rooms are called the Visiting Rooms. Everyone who comes to meet with the Bitties will be guided to an open room. Not every Bitty is for everyone and vice versa. So you're going to sit here and wait to see if there is any Bitty that has some interest in you. If you wish to adopt, then you are going to come back for at least an hour every day for a week, _minimum_ , before any Bitty will go home with you.”

What he’s told you helps you better understand how this Shelter works. Though the online site did explain a bit of their process, there were no interior pictures and the descriptions were lacking. Rather than talking about the Shelter and their employees, the site focused more about the Bitties themselves and how to properly co-exist with them. There were albums of each Bitty that the Shelter had found homes for and the new family’s adventures together. It gave you a bittersweet feeling inside. Your doggy was cool with letting you hold on to him close as you browse through the pictures that night.

“If you haven’t notice, there are no cages or tanks or anything of that sort in the Shelter and there's a reason for that. A Bitty is not a pet. They are not a trinket or a toy or something *exotic* for you to show off to your friends. They are Monsters who are in need of constant care. Unlike other Monsters, a Bitty is a kind of Monster that holds too much love within them. They require bonding with another larger being to help them release their love in a healthy and functioning manner. And that's where we come in."

You snap out of your thoughts when Jake continues speaking. Hoping that he didn’t notice your lapse in attention, you stare at him as uncreeplied as you can manage. Blink. Blinking some more in case what you were seeing was just the lighting. Blink. Huh. So it’s not a trick of the lights, and you were really seeing a soft green hue surrounding around Jake. The more Jake talks about the Bitty’s magical makeup, their structural differences due to higher concentration of magic to average size Monsters, and any other tidbits of their culture and things, the green hue expands and gets brighter.

Seeing the passion and intense waves of Green that just pulsates from Jake as he's talking about respecting the Bitties as their own being, secretly takes your breath away. Which you totally agree with as you were nodding along with everything he was saying. Still, for such a grumpy looking human, his Kindness was exceptionally pure and strong. It makes you want to lay your head on his lap and see if he'll finger comb your hair. What an odd thought you won't ever act on.

" 'kay. Well it looks like you get it. Now I'm going to go and let the Bitties know that there's a new visitor. If you have any questions, just ask them. They know what they're looking for in a potential home and they're not afraid to reject you if you guys don't match up. They're also a good judge of character so I wouldn't try anything funny. They may be small, but they can take you down in seconds if they feel threatened."

The smile that Jake sends your way is anything but kind... Like sharp and sadistic. Those were some of the words that fit. You nod your head once more as you look away from Jake. He didn't notice anything weird about your heating face, nope he did not. You don’t notice his smile going away or the curious look he sends you. What you do notice is when he sighs and leaves. Now that you have time before anyone comes to the room, you can take a moment to rest. Your emotions have gone everywhere it seems and it's draining your energy reserves quickly. Taking a deep breath in from your nose, hold it, and then slowly release it from your mouth.

Five minutes have pass and you're starting to get sleepy with all this quite. There's not much to distract you in the room, the walls are painted a soft gray, the carpet is deep brown. Besides the two chairs, there's a low white coffee table that you're tempted to prop your feet on. And that's all. The room is so sparse that it's a little unsettling as time keeps going by.

It's so quiet. If there was something for you to do, this wouldn’t have been something to pay attention. But besides staring at the walls, you were stuck and bored. Maybe you should leave? Or stick around for the next 50 minutes contemplating the meaning of life. Nah. Getting up, you make way to the door when something shiny catches your eye. You take a better look at the room feeling your curiosity peak. There’s a shimmer of magic writing by the walls and a large one on that half door. So they were using magic! Knew it.

Finding out this little tibid is impressive. The only way to get a good look at the sigils is by being at certain angles throughout the room. Since Monsters and Bitties have surface, magic no longer became a fictional concept. Huge studies are starting to take off about the subject and mages are rumored to exist. The magical language and its proper usages have been long lost to humans, so there was a race going on with each country. Like how the space race was, but with magic.

This was something that the world was slowly getting accustomed to, but you didn't need to. Reading the sigils is as easy as standing on one foot while rubbing your head and patting your belly. It takes a while, but you get the gist of it. Huh, well you notice that this set of sigils is for a noise barrier like you guessed. So... No one can hear you scream.

You huff a laugh at the pop reference. Checking your phone, you notice it's been a total of 15 minutes since Jake left you. How long are you supposed to wait? Should you give it till half an hour? How quickly do Bitties even come to meet a visitor? Nnnnn, you were starting to get a bit anxious so you sat back down in the chair. Thoughts float around your head, you figure that you're probably not a match for any of the Bitties they have here, you're basically in a soundproof room, you can sing your heart out in peace here.

What? Singing has always been something that was fun. It was a private activity that you partake in every time you heard a good anime opening. But you had never done so outside the comfort of your home. Humming doesn’t count. So, should you be daring and do it? It was probably the fastest and most calming thing you could do to pass the time. A look at how much battery life you have left decides your fate. It was at 80 percent. The phone’s speakers aren't shabby, might as well just use them to blast it all the way up. It’s not like anyone was going to notice, it’ll also give you some coverage with the actual singers singing along. This has become a little thrill for you to sing in a place that's technically public, but safe in knowing that you won't be caught at all.

Let's do this!

~*~

_"What I do to see a smile, even for a little while._

_And no one loves you when you're evil....._

_I’M LYING THROUGH MY TEETH!_

_YOUR TEARS ARE ALL THE COMPANY I NEED!"_

You’re breathing hard as you finish your little dance and number. You're on your knees, arms spread wide open and your head tilt back, eyes closed and you can feel muscles that you don't often use burn. Oh man, you're going to take a hot bubble bath later and slather your whole being with some Hot 'n Cold. Your dog is not going to like the medical smell but you'll thank yourself for it tomorrow. You huff out a small laugh as you put your hands on your knees, head hung between your arms as you try to calm your racing heart.

"Bravo! Bravo!"

"YEAH! I could feel your passion to face your foes in your song human! Fuhuhuhu!"

"ENCORE! HUMAN! ENCORE!"

"Come on sweetheart. Why don ya shake yer pretty lil ass for us some more?"

"Th-th-those we-were some n-nice moves h-h-human."

Your heart has just suddenly stopped like a car crash. What’s this? You're not breathing so hard any more. Well, you sure as hell aren't breathing at all right now. You slowly look up and see that you have a pretty large crowd of all kinds of Bitties clapping their hands, some even wolf-whistling at you, and others yelling about how happy they were with your unknowing show. Apparently they wanted more.

With the speed you used to hide that pure look of horrifying shame on your face down, you are going to also smother a shit ton of Hot 'n Cold on your neck as well. Learning to breathe again before you die is a good idea while you're at it... Or not? This is the most embarrassing moment of your life hands down! You're going to die right here and you won’t have to deal with how you just want to hide away from the world. Perfect plan set in motion.

Fuck! How much did they see? When did you even start dancing? WHY did you think that it was a good idea to do that!? Panicking and not breathing and oh man oh shit… There's someone patting your leg. You force your body not to fling away from the sudden action. Only your eyes move just enough to see who is doing the touching. It's a little skeleton with a blue jean jacket and black basketball shorts with gray? Pink? A non-discernible faded pair of colored slippers on their feet. It's a Sansy and his signature smile is on his face. But his eye... holes… sockets.... are looking at you softly and with some concern. Smiles are nice. You smile habitually back, though it’s unsure if Sansy could see it. It’s an old trick you've mastered since you started to deal with particularly annoying people, a happy smile so they can’t see your inner drama.

Sansy stares a bit longer before his smile grows wider and he's nodding his head. You can feel yourself starting to relax the more you see his smile. The panic is still there but it's not so overwhelming, more like a soft hum under your skin. Huh, that was thankfully easy.

He gives your leg a final pat as he winks at you and disappears. Blinking a few times from the sudden Houdini trick, you look up to see that Sansy was with the other Bitties on the ledge.  
"alright guys. this human seems like they're done with their show. so if you aren't interested in a potential home, it's best if you go back to whatever you were doing before hand."

You see that Sansy is shooing the majority of the Bitties away, while a few had stayed behind. The ones who stayed jumped into the room and onto the table. They were staring really hard at you as they settle themselves. You cast a quick peek to see if the helpful Sansy had left as well only to spot him on the door looking down at you from his perch. His... eye sockets... look very calm and at peace now, it makes you smile, more real this time, back up at him. Since you only moved your face up a small margin he might not even notice.

Suddenly, you feel a sharp pain coming from your hand that makes you want to scream out. You tense up instead and stare at the little fucker who still had your dominant hand between his teeth! OUCH DUDE. There's an Edgy biting at the space between your thumb and index finger with a shitty smirk on his face. Letting go would be wonderful right about now for your hand, and you hope he does so soon.

He doesn't. That asshole. Now that he knows he has your attention, he's biting down a bit harder. The first beads of blood are starting to well up. Oh this little shit wants to test you huh? Well two can play Nippy Teeth!

You swiftly yank your hand out of his bite, it cause the small holes to open wider but you don't care. With quick reflexes, you pick up the fucker with the same hand. As he was caught in your grasp, you use your free hand to take hold of both his hands and bring them close to your mouth. This all happen in a second and you never once let your eyes wander from his face. The shock in his eye sockets were noticeable as his smile disappear, only for his jaw to drop when he caught up and sees just where his hands ended up.

You don't waste any time and bite down on his hands before the little fucker could say anything other than, "SHIT!" You don't let go. Once he starts glaring, you bit down just a little harder and the profanity he's throwing makes you want to laugh. Now that you have made your point, you loosen your grip and he teleports three feet away, giving him a shit eating smile you wave your uninjured hand at him. His face is the same deep red as his shirt that you see from his open black leather jacket. It has a nice fluffy feather lining on its hood.

"Yer crazy, bitch! Who the hell bites ah Bitty! Wha’ tha fuckin’ hell is wrong wit ya!?"

You do manage to huff out a laugh at that. The little fucker's face just gets darker. How bright or dark can it get before he faints from it all? Oh man, this was just too much fun.

"now that's what i call a biting response."

"UGH! SANSY! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR ONE OF YOUR PUNS. THE HUMAN IS BLEEDING AND IN NEED OF MEDICAL CARE."

"Meouch! That bite looks like it huurrrts. Did you happen to bring any bandages with you human?"

"Mwehehe! I Like This Human’s Spirit!"

Oh, right. There were other people in the room besides the Edgy. You judge how badly your hand is instead of look at them, the bite only looks worse than it really is. The Edgy didn't sink his chompers all that deep. If you hadn't moved so suddenly, the amount of blood you'd spill would have been just little drops. Still, it was worth it. You can feel a large and content smile floating to your mouth as you reach into one of the many side pockets you have on your left leg for a roll of gauze bandages you keep for emergencies like these. Well sort of. You didn't think you'd be meeting an Edgy but, eh.

There’s no disinfect though so you just put it in your mouth to suck off the blood and anything else your tongue can get. Mmmm, this is kind of like an indirect kiss... bite? You must have been more tired if this is what you're thinking now. Well, you start to clumsily unroll the gauze with your less dominant hand when small hands grab it from you. Huh?

"let me give you a hand with that." The Sansy has one end of the gauze pulled out while his other hand is palm up and waiting for you to give him your injured one. He has one of his eye socket closed and the other is half lidded, is he giving you the laziest wink ever? His causal stance seems natural and you can feel your shoulders drooping in response. This Sansy is something else.

You huff at his pun, proud that you caught it so quickly. Placing your hand near Sansy, he starts to bandage you up. He's completely focus on the task so you decide to take a look at the other Bitties. The Edgy had move closer to you now, he's only a foot away but he's not looking at you. He kind of has a small look of guilt as he stares at your injured hand and then away. There's also a Papy and he's talking with a soft purple Teacup about the songs you sung and the moves you danced. You can even see the Papy mimicking some of the more, um, daring moves and the blood rushing to your face is obvious and you hate it. Did you really thrust your hips like that? You can’t recall and it’s better of that way.

Looking away you notice that there's one more Bitty that you're surprise has been quite. Baby Blue's are not known for being the silent type, at all. Still, this one is staring up at you with large... Are those stars in his eye sockets? Can Skeletons change the shape of their pupils? That is what the dots in their sockets are right? Brain is too fried to remember and so are you. Still, Bitty staring at you with starry eyes. Heh, good one. You're pretty sure the Sansy would have liked that pun.

Is that Baby Blue okay? He's just staring at you and it might be sending some warning signals up your deep-fried brain. He's clenching his gloved fists pretty tightly, if the way they're vibrating means anything. Actually, his whole body seems to be shaking. You know the signs of an adrenaline high and this little dude is about to explode mere inches away from your person.

" **HUMAN! HUMAN! HUMAN! YOU MAY KNOW ME AS THE WONDROUS AND MAGNIFICENT BABY BLUE AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO BECOME YOUR BOND-MATE! THE REASON BEING IS THAT YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A MIGHTY WARRIOR WHO IS PREPARE FOR COMBAT AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD A WARRIOR'S PATH! THUS IT IS COMPLETELY REASONABLE FOR US TO BOND AND JOURNEY THE WORLD. WE SHALL FACE EVIL DOERS WHEREVER THEY MAY BE HIDING!** "

The little tyke is going on about combat and where their journey may led them. How did you both end up on a remote island where they have to face volcano gods? Oh dear, the tyke is jumping everywhere now, doing some impressive kicks and flips. Ah! He almost fell off the table with that last spin kick. It's really adorable but you're pretty sure the blue tyke would completely drain you within minutes if you two actually bonded. How are you supposed to let him down?

"Neyh! You cannot already claim the human, Berry. This is just their fuurrrrst day, so they rrrequirrre an additional six days before they could even adopt anyone of us. Do calm down and stop being rrrude to my futuuurrre bond-mate."

Huh?

"TEACUP! NOT YOU TOO. AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU WOULD NOT TRY TO CLAIM THE HUMAN BEFORE EVEN KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. IT IS JUST IRRESPONSIBLE OF YOU AND OFFENSIVE. BLUE, HURRY BACK DOWN HERE AND YOU BOTH WILL APOLOGIZE TO THE HUMAN."

Papy seems like the most reasonable of the all the Bitties as he lightly scolded the two. He had them on their knees with their heads down within seconds. It was amazing to watch it all happen. Still, what's all this causal throwing about bonding? That sort of magic takes more than the single week it takes for someone to bring home a BItty. The quickest bond to have been formed between a Bitty was within a month, while the average is three and a half months. The majority of those bonds were with other Monsters as well. Human’s require a longer time span of magic exposure before they could even attempt a bond. Yet here were these Bitties talking like it'd be just what? Days? Hours!? That's a life long commitment that you are not ready for. Like, at all! Thank goodness that Papy is there to calm the other two back into sense.

"BESIDES. IF THAT HUMAN WERE TO BOND WITH ANY OF US, IT WOULD OF COURSE BE ME THAT THEY WOULD BEG FOR. NYEHEHEHE!"

Well, so much for Papy. And who's begging here?

Now the other two are standing up and yelling about Papy being unfair. And really, you kind of agree with them. Can't be doing what you just said is rude and offensive Papy dear.

"what about me bro? gonna send me bond voyage now that you found yourself a human?"

"NYEH! FEAR NOT MY BROTHER! FOR I, THE GREAT AND WONDROUS PAPY WOULD NOT BE LEAVING YOUR SIDE. EVEN WHEN YOU TELL YOUR PUNS!"

If you weren't feeling like you were losing your common sense, you would have laughed. That joke had just sailed off of Sansy’s tongue so smoothly that you gave him some mental props. Heh, sailed. You look at your hand to see that it's badly wrapped, to the point that it was unwinding itself. You aren’t going to lose your shit over some badly wrapped bandages tonight.

You hear a scoff and you look up to see Edgy slowly reaching for you hand. His grip is light as he carefully unwraps the bandages, and re-bandages it properly. Color you surprise but you didn't expect that Edgy, out of all the Bitties here, to be the one to properly care for your hand. He doesn't let go once he's done, but he does growl up at you.

Very slowly, you move your free hand around him and adjust your position to hold him securely. Making sure that every move is being notice by him as you once again bring his hands to your mouth. This time you just place your lips against his hands and whisper if he was alright.

Edgy's face once again is aflame as he snatches his hands back from you. He's yelling that of course he's fuckin' peachy! Why wouldn't he? Is nah like your puny bite could actually hurt him ya know. He's sure damn stronger than ya can even handle so wha' the hell are ya worried about anyways. Tch.

The smile that graces your face just makes Edgy more fluster. You haven't been this happy, confused, tired, or this severely concern, in a really long time. It's not like you don't get happy or laugh or anything. It's just hasn't been this strong is all. Though your dog is damn godly at making your heart melt into a puddle of goop everyday. Maybe it has something to do with the cooked brain you have burning? Nah~

So you settle both Edgy and yourself down comfortably on the floor as you watch the other four Bitties goofing off. With the even view point, you can take a better look at them. You don't put too much attention to what's being said, the topic still being about bonding, but rather on the actions that each Bitty makes. The Baby Blue is still jumping around, in place this time. His face has a cyan flush in frustration as he's pouting at Papy and Teacup. The little tyke even stomps his booted feet a few times as he makes his point.

Teacup has the most devious smile to have ever grace this earth. It could be because they're kinda like cats. Evil little creatures, but Teacup doesn't seem bad. His lilac eyes are warm as he gazes at the other Bitties. With the low and soft swaying of his multi-colorful tail, you can tell that he's in a good mood. With his lazy hand gestures, or the way he's not afraid to look down his nose at even Papy is a big tell that he's a proud little darling. Mmm, maybe a diva? Nah, too chill. Looks like he's doing it more for the reactions than attitude, playful then.

Papy stands tall with his back straight, feet planted shoulders width apart and his hands resting on his hips. He's making the least amount of movement but that's because it's his eyes that are mostly speaking. They're a red ring instead of the dots the other Bitties have. He looks so content, like being with the Bitties is where he was meant to be. He's giving each of them equal amounts of attention and doesn't let one talk over the other. He narrows his eyes and a part of you wants to know what he's going to say, other times his eyes are closed like his laughter is just that consuming. When neither Teacup or Baby Blue are looking at him, his eyes gain a really warm look. The intensity they hold within them as he watches over the more energized Bitties, it's like a favorite blanket on a rainy day with no work or any plans for you to leave that comfort. You can't really look at Papy when he's making that expression so your eyes wander to Sansy.

It's a bit hard to get a read on Sansy. He doesn't need to open his mouth to speak and his default is that lazy grin. His eyes are also guarded so there's that blockage. Still, you do pick up some things. Like how Sansy won't really take his hands out of his jacket pockets if he doesn't need to. How he likes to rock on his heels when he said something that has the other three groaning. Or that he's always shifting from one foot to the other when any of the Bitties come too close to him. But not Papy, he's more than fine with letting Papy into his personal space. You even catch him nudging Papy every now and again when the taller Bitty seems a little too focus with what's being said. It was, challenging to figure Sansy out, but you couldn't seem to stop trying.

Sansy knows that you stare at him. Any time that you feel like you've watched him for too long, that's when he turns his head towards you and give you a lazy smile. He even winked a couple of times, before going back to his conversation. None of the other Bitties seemed to notice that you were watching them, so you don't think Sansy told them what you were doing. Today's venture has been more exciting than you were planning, and this relaxing moment you were having with Edgy was doing wonders for your energy reserves. Though maybe a small nap wouldn't hurt.

You feel a yawn coming at the thought but aren't quick enough to cover it. So you keep your face to the side so your not exhaling on top of Edgy's skull. It's not a deep yawn but it's still strong enough that you feel your chest tighten and your shoulders shake. Your eyes are closed and there's a very small tear at the corner of them. The moment Edgy looks at you as his brows creased is missed. Along as when Sansy had notice your state and nudged Papy.

Edgy is sitting on your uninjured palm as you rest him near your chest. He held your injured hand close and would nibble on your fingers every now and then. Each time he's gentle, you let your lips press gently against the top of his skull, but it's not a kiss. You still end up with little bite marks on every single finger, but none drawn blood so there's that.

He'll even call out to you when he feels like your paying the other Bitties too much attention. You're not sure how you should take your new nickname he came up for you. Being called Soft Lips is a first, but Edgy likes how you blush when he says it. The little fucker…eh you guess your mental pet name for Edgy could be better as well. He would even make smooching noises at you as a tease. But the joke's on! You just bring him close to your face as you nuzzle as much of him as you can. He scratches your cheek for that stunt but that won’t get rid of the victorious grin on your face.

There's loads of books on how to deal with an Edgy that you’ve read. What you should look out for during the first few weeks you get to know each other; tips on how to deal with their explosive tempers, what other Bitties mesh well with them and so on. However, no one mentioned a quiet Edgy. Well, a quiet and flirty Edgy. Pervy and bold yes, but not this innocent teasing you both seem to be doing. You're sure as hell ain't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.

Suddenly, there’s a _pop_ and an extra weight on your shoulder as a soft, deep laugh enters your ear. It tickles and you try not to shake your head. Sansy lightly holds onto your locks as he looks down at Edgy, who's glaring back at him. Sansy huffs and turns his attention to you.

"sorry for just popping up on you like that."

A small laugh is all you need to say for Sansy to get that it’s all's right with you. It only takes a few more moments before the other three are finding their own spots to sit on. Sansy stays on your shoulder, resting his body against the side of your head. Teacup curled himself around the back of your neck and purrs. Giving you small little shivers when the vibrations hit, yet it's comforting nonetheless. You carefully move your bandaged hand to pet his skull. The smile he gives you is blinding.

Edgy, on the other hand, was not happy to let go of his captive, even if it was for a second. The sharper bite he gives to your index finger proves it. He now has his arms wrapped securely around your hand. It’s adorable and weird how possessive he is about your hand.

Baby Blue is lying on his stomach on the top of your head. His arms are on either side of you as he nuzzles your hair with his face. For Papy, there had to be some adjustments as he wanted to lay on your lap. So with careful scooting you're able to lean your back against one of the walls at a comfortable angle. This lets you fully stretch your legs out for Papy, and the new angle helps you to keep Edgy closer to your chest.

You're not sure how long you all stay like that, but you wake up to someone patting your check. Someone else seems to be laughing into your ear. Nnnnnn, no it tickles, stop... You feel movement all over your body, making you curious. Opening an eye, the first thing you notice is that all the Bitties are staring up at you. Each standing on your lap, with different degrees of amusement on their faces. You're not sure you want to know why. Opening the other eye allows Jake, who is sadly still not from State Farm, to be seen standing above you. He seems to be puzzled about something. You blink a few times at him as your sight adjusts.

YIKES! That hurt!

Looking down, Edgy is no longer smiling at you anymore. Sansy smile isn't looking so happy either. Actually, that pain originated from Sansy who had pinch your uninjured hand. The culprit's hand is still resting on you and you wonder if Sansy is planning on pinching you again. Teacup and Baby Blue have a look that says, 'Really human? In front of us?'

Papy is just laughing his bony ass off at the commotion the other Bitties are giving you. The look he sends you once he's done makes you sweat though. It's a warning look and you don't want to know what he's warning you about. You really don't understand anything that's happening and it's sort of, really freaking you out. Jesus’s motorcycle! Weren't these Bitties, minus Edgy, suppose to be the more _friendly_ ones of the bunch?

"Are you alright?" Jake is still staring at you like you're something strange. You want to tell him no. For some reason, more than just your life's on the line right now. You're not being over dramatic here okay? You just know it, damn it all!


	2. I Just Want My Bed Sir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all you readers! It's a Happy Merry Holiday for you all I bet. Hehe, now that I updated. Right? I bet you were all waiting for me to post so much sooner. Well ha! I may be amazing, but I'm no witch. You should let a breath of relief escape knowing that there will be monthly updates.
> 
> ...well, I mean. I'll try to keep it monthly. I do have some chapters done... I mean! You'll wait for however long it takes! Really, should feel so honor that I care so much about all of you. ....wait. No! NO! That's not what I meant! You tricked me! FIne, I'm done. Go get reading already.
> 
> .
> 
> ..
> 
> …
> 
> And... thank you... For all the comments and kudos. Those things..... tch.

Through your internal panicking, Jake informs you that you’ve slept through the remaining twenty minutes of the allotted hour, as well as an extra ten minutes past closing. Time had passed so slowly before, every second felt like an hour. Once the Bitties appeared though, time slipped by faster than sand between your fingers. Sleep played a helping hand as well. You didn’t expect to have done so while you sat on the floor with them, you were usually careful about letting down your guard around others. Rubbing your face, you feel like groaning. That nap was just what you needed but at such the wrong moment. ****  
** **

Fuck. A small ball of guilt starts to form in the pit of your gut at the thought of holding up the Center’s employees. Bringing a hand to rub at the back of your neck, you roll your head to get rid of any crincks that had formed. That spontaneous nap felt much longer than the half hour it was, but still long enough to mess with your shitty internal clock. At least you felt better now. Minus the growing concern for the Bitties around you. Speaking of, they were still on your lap. Though, some had chosen to sit while others were standing.  
  
Uh, how were you suppose to get up?   
  
“Wha’s te mattah, Soft Lips? _Can’t stand_ to leave me? Heh.” Edgy had a smug look on his little skeleton face.   
  
Why that little fucker. He knows he’s keeping you from moving and he’s proud of it. It’s obvious to tell by the way he’s standing, with his little arms crossed over his chest and the shit eating smirk on his maw. The others are in on it too based on their cheeky expressions. What the hell. You’re not sure what face you’re making at the moment, but it’s got them chuckling. The temptation to wiggle your legs to make them all stumble is steadily rising. 

Luckily for them, Jake spoke up, “Alright you guys. I'd like to get home sometime today. You Bitties need to be get back to your rooms. Dinner is over so you should check with Sylvia before they head out. They were the one responsible for cooking this week. If you miss them, then you'll need to make your own food.” ****  
** **

The Bitties grumble as they slowly made their way off your legs. Pappy and Teacup were the first to move with Sansy following behind. Baby Blue and Edgy are the only ones that really look like they would rather not leave. The little tyke is walking up and down your thigh as he’s pacing. He looks like he’s concentrating really hard on something, but you can’t tell what. ****  
** **

Pappy calls for them halfway across the room. It gets Baby Blue to hop down, but he’s not making any move to leave. Edgy decides to be stubborn. He has his arms crossed and a part of his face buried into his hood’s feathered lining.  
  
“Berry. Edgy. Come on now, it is time to go. The human is in need of some purrroper rrrrest.” Teacup has a soft smile on his furry face. His arms gently cross against his own chest as he leans on one leg. He was patiently waiting for the two stragglers.   
  
“No.”   
  
“Wha-what!? And why not? Do not be as foolish as others of yourrrr kind, Edgy.” The look of utter shock on that little furry Bitty face was both adorable and comical. A part of you wanted to snort at it. Teacup’s eye lights had enlarged to twice their size. His little tail had even poofed.   
  
“Shut yer prissy mouth up! I said no. Get it through yer stupid fur brain.”   
  
“Excuse me!”   
  
“dude. its late. get your boney ass over here.” Now Sansy was getting in on it. He looks so done and tired. Huh, he didn’t look like that a second ago. Even his hands were back inside his jacket pockets as he stared at Edgy. The way his sockets narrowed so suddenly made you tilt your head in confusion. Was he squinting? No, he was glaring. You knew that the Skeletal Bitties had malleable bones, like their larger Skeletal Monster companions, compartments… no that’s the wrong word here.   
  
Taking a peek at the only Bitty with some reason in them, you notice that Papy’s watching with his arms crossed. Why is everyone crossing their arms? Should you do it too? He’s studying the Bitty’s behaviors it seems. His red open circle eye lights darting from one loud Bitty to the other. Papy isn’t doing anything, and his relaxed stance seems like he has no plans to interfere. The most that Papy had done was raise a single brow, brow bone… Do they even have the equivalent to an eyebrow? What would it even be called? Either way, a single bone brow was raised when Sansy spoke up. Papy even looked down at the smaller Bitty before turning his attention to Edgy’s loud response.   
  
“I ain’t movin’. And ya can’t make me!” Now Edgy was glaring and throwing his arms about, but not nearly as much as Sansy. The glaring part, not the movement. There was still that hint of smugness on his face that just rubbed you the wrong way. Would flicking his nasal bridge hurt him or annoy him? Could it send him flying if you put in enough force behind it... Maybe some other time.   
  
Focusing back on the two clearly angry Bitties, you notice that their eye lights were no longer white. Uh huh. That’s not a good sign? A buzzing sensation grew along your leg as you saw Edgy envelope himself in red magic. Woah, hold on here. No Bitty was going to be throwing around magic projectiles around your person. Nuh-uh.   
  
“HUMAN!” Baby Blue snaps his head up suddenly. Gah! You forgot about him for a second. Looking down you see that there’s a hard look in his eye lights as it borrows its way into your soul. Thankfully, Baby Blue’s timely shouting from beside your leg had broken the face off the three were having. “I Have A Task That Only You Can Fulfill. If I May Please Have Your Hand, There Is Something That I Must Lend You For This Mission.”   
  
What mission? Like spy stuff? Why did it need your hand? Does it matter which one? As you ponder this sudden turn of event, you realize that Baby Blue had been quiet during the whole shouting-almost-turned-violent commotion. He hadn’t and still isn’t paying any attention to the other Bitties. Baby Blue stares up at you from the floor with a serious face, both hands clenched into fist near his chest. He moves his intense gaze down to his gloved hands. You weren’t sure what the little tyke was thinking about, but a gut feeling said it was something you were hoping you wouldn’t find out. This whole mission thing was seeming to be a bigger deal than you had thought. 

Edgy snarled, “Whatcha tryin’ ta pull ya damn brat? Piss off! An’ take those fuckin’ loud mouths witcha!”  
  
That was it. With the hand that he nibbled on, you scoop glowy red Edgy up. It startles him as he flails his tiny fists around for a second, cursing up a storm about cheap shots. When he realizes that it was just you however, he holds on instead. He’s back to grumbling, but at least he’s not yelling at everyone or covered in Red Magic. Now that he was settled, you turn your attention back to the floor where Baby Blue stood. You’re not sure what he wants, but you couldn’t see a reason to refuse his request. So you lay your free hand palm side up next to him. It’s just your paranoia telling you that you’re gonna be sorry that you did.   
  
Ignoring the fuming Sansy and Teacup was also not in tune with your survival instincts. Thankfully they were in your peripheral so you could still keep track of them. Their eye lights were back to normal once you had Edgy in your grasp, so there was that. Teacup had his tail tightly wound up as he glared to the side of the room. He might be hissing, or he might just look like he was hissing. You swore you could hear Sansy mumbling the word ‘cheater’ but you’re not entirely sure.   
  
Bitties are small, you know this, but having your hand next to Baby Blue, you really notice how _itty Bitty_ they are. The little tyke could sit comfortably on your palm with room to spare. ****  
** **

Baby Blue stares at the hand you offered. He fiddles with his own before sighing. Turning his head so that he’s not looking at anyone, Baby Blue starts to take off one of his gloves. His arms are shaking when he’s done. Whatever this is, you already want him to stop, to take the glove and put it back on his hand where it belongs. “H-Human! Th-Th-This Is Yo-Your T-T-Ta-ah-ask.” He looks scared and on the verge of crying. “Ta-Take…” ****  
** **

Suddenly Baby Blue wipes his eye sockets with his arm, takes a deep breath, and lifts his face all the way up to yours. “ **I AM A WARRIOR! I DO NOT RUN FROM MY FEARS. I DO NOT GO BACK ON MY WORD. I BRAVELY FACE ANY CHALLENGE IN MY PATH. I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF DANGER EVEN IF** , Even As I Shake In My Combat Boots.” They look more like blue rain boots to you. “ **HAVING SAID ALL THAT HUMAN, YOU NOW KNOW NAUGHT BUT A SMALL PIECE OF MY AMAZING BEING. MWEHEHEHE!** ”   
  
You could almost hear the sounds of his little bones rattling, practically feel them quivering near your leg. Yet Baby Blue continues staring right into your eyes, his hands clenched at his sides. You’re not completely sure if he was shouting to you or himself, but you can see a cyan tint on his cheeks. There aren’t any tears forming now.   
  
“Okay. What’s my task?”   
  
The moment the first word left your mouth, you knew you made a mistake. The large starry eye light look Baby Blue sends you makes it hard for you to regret it. He just looked so happy that you accepted. Fuck.   
  
“Your Task, Human, Is To Take Care Of One Of My Most Prized Possessions. These Gloves Have Seen Many Adventures Since They’ve Been In My Care. They Have Also Helped Me In My Time Of Need.” He looks at the glove in his clenched hand, releasing his grip to let it lay neat and flat in both hands. When he’s satisfied, he gently places it onto yours. “ **TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT HUMAN, AND RETURN IT TO ME ON YOUR NEXT VISIT!** ”   
  
You nod your head once as you carefully close your fingers around the tiny glove. Despite its size, you can barely manage to move your hand to rest on your lap. The small, vibrant warmth still in the glove a sign of its importance to him. Even now, Baby Blue is trying to hide his bare hand under his other arm. This was a promise to see each other again. A feeling of trust, one that you hadn’t felt in a long time, took place on your shoulders. Your weren’t sure you could move.   
  
“Tch. Show off.”   
  
“Meow. Murrrre like conniving to me.”   
  
Oh, now Edgy and Teacup were glaring at Baby Blue. Not that the little bundle of hyper energy could tell. It still looks like they’re squinting. Either way, two of the three battle crazed Bitties locked onto a new target. Sansy was leaning against Papy, no longer looking this way. You weren’t hurt by him ignoring the group, but were concerned with how run-down he looked.   
  
With his mission given, Baby Blue hurriedly walks towards the other Bitties, too high off a job well done to notice the soured mood. Though not as energetic as before, his back was straight the whole way. With your tasked object safe, you attempt to distract your mind with something else. Like the Edgy Bitty still in your other grasp. Since he had calmed down, you figure now was a good time as any to get your ass moving. The plan was to release the bitey Bitty as you get yourself off the floor. It’s a simple plan, very easy to do.   
  
You were doomed to fail before you began.   
  
Every single muscle fiber in both your legs started screaming in protest. It catches you so off guard, you hiss before falling back onto your butt. You manage to keep in all the swears, but not the grimace on your face. Well, shit. Is there a plan B?   
  
Your legs feel like a ton of bricks. It takes almost falling onto your ass twice before you can stand. Now you’re the one shaking all over and breathing a bit heavily from the exertion. You figure that moving on your own is a no go. ****  
** **

"Human, what is wrrrong? Is there something the meowter with youuurrr legs?" Teacup has a clueless yet playful look on his face. It was just a gut feeling, but if that little felinesque bitty wasn’t across the room from you, he’d probably start rubbing his head against said limbs as he walked between your legs. Worried that he might just do that, you shake your head no while attempting to lift up one leg. "Are you puuurrrfectly suuurrre human? Could it be that you are still feeling fatigued after that meownderful puuurrrformace? Puuurrrhaps you rrrequire a meowrrr rrresful slumber. It trrruly was lovely to have napped with the beating of youuurrr heart beneath me." ****  
** **

That playfully accusing tone… Teacup’s face was nothing short of impish. His wide cheshire smile showing pointed canines; the slow sway of his curling tri-colored pastel tail; even the pinpoints of his eye lights as if he had sighted prey and _You_ were the prey! The palms of your hands weren’t sweaty, at least Edgy wasn’t complaining if they were. Still, you wiped your free hand against your pants just in case. This at least helped you realize Edgy was not letting go. Huh. This might be a problem.

“Can you walk?”  
  
Jake’s voice startles you a bit. It was enough for Edgy to turn his head to look at you, then to start growling at Jake. It was a low sound, you felt it more than you could hear it. Ignoring the feisty bones, you look at Jake. He is rubbing his face with his hand as he sighs, loudly. He looks at you with the most tired expression. He was done with today and you couldn’t blame the guy even if you wanted to. It wasn’t your fault though.   
  
As for his question, yes. Or rather… no. You can take a few steps at a time, but it’s not just your legs acting up. It felt like someone had lit a fire in your abdomen and arms. Keeping yourself standing while holding onto Edgy is all you think you can manage. What you wouldn’t do for some magically infused Monster food right about now. Hold the phone! ...or the Bitty in this case.   
  
Searching through some of your many pockets for the item, you try hard not to move much. Ugh. All the pockets that you could reach without bending didn’t have what you were looking for. Maybe, it had to be in one of the calf pockets these pants came with. How were you suppose to get it?   
  
“Look, if you can’t wal-”   
  
“HUMAN! IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED? YOU SEEM TO BE IN SOME DISTRESS. I, THE BENEVOLENT AND THOUGHTFUL PAPY SHALL ASSIST YOU.”   
  
The look on Jake’s face turned to one of surprise. Yours probably did as well. Papy, the same Bitty that had made sure the others had a fair turn to speak. The Bitty that was so respectful and well mannered for the whole time you watched him. That same Bitty had just interrupted Jake so blatantly.   
  
Papy was walking over towards you. With his stance tall and his strides long, it’s only a moment before he’s staring up at you from beside your leg. You blink, he’s almost at the right height to get into the bottom pockets. A smile slowly forms on your face as you stare down at the helpful Bitty. Edgy gives your hand a sharp bite but you ignore it. Didn’t even wince at the action.   
  
“Yes, please. In one of my pockets, there is a packet of Monster Snacks. If you could toss them up, I’ll be most thankful.”   
  
“BUT OF COURSE HUMAN. THIS WON’T TAKE MORE THAN A SECOND WITH MY AMAZING FINDING ABILITIES. NYE HEHE!” 

The Bitty stares at your legs as he thinks. He’s not as tall as he would like to be, the pockets were just out of his arms reach. Summoning a few bones, he uses them as steps to remedy the situation. When his eye lights brighten as he summons the bones, you’re a bit surprised that the bones weren’t red. Just plain white bones of different height. ****  
** **

The flaps of your left calf pocket is unbuttoned, you forgot those had them, as Papy starts to rummage around. He pulls out a few odd items; small rocks, a couple of twigs, tan yarn that was frayed at the edges, and a tiny black notebook. You could tell that he was curious about what was inside the book, but Papy respects your boundaries and puts the book back in with all the other stuff. Buttoning up the pocket, he gives it a soft pat before pointing to your other leg.  
  
You weren’t sure why he did so till the bones started to move. They carried him across the floor and up to your left leg not leaving any trace that they had moved. None that could be seen anyway. Papy had some impressive magic control.   
  
He does the same with the other pocket. It only takes a couple of seconds, and three gum sticks, before he shouts out in victory. He has to lean half his body in to grab at the bag that had been all the way in the bottom of the pocket. Was that all you had there? Maybe you need a supply run sooner than planned. Shit, that was gonna mess up your schedule.   
  
“I HAVE FOUND THE DESIRED OBJECT, HUMAN. A BAG OF MINI PUMPKIN RINGS. I DID NOT KNOW THEY HAD AN EVEN SMALLER SIZED OPTION. HOW EXCITING! YOU STILL HAVE ONE MORE BAG LEFT INSIDE, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS OF THE SAME SNACK VARIETY.”   
  
Responding with a hum, you catch the bag as Papy tosses it up to you. The action causes some muscle you weren’t aware was aching to scream in protest. Your tight grip on the bag made it crinkle but thankfully the tiny rings of halloween fruit were still safe and whole. Now to open the bag with just one hand… Before you can even make an inner joke about it, the bag is snatched away and then returned back into your grasp. ****  
** **

It’s open now.  
  
You look to the Bitty still in your grasp, “Thank you.”   
  
Edgy stares back at you. Just as you start to worry that something might be on your face, he calmly looks away. A soft smile on his face. As soft as a mouth full of needle sharp teeth owned by someone more than willing to draw blood could be. ****  
** **

Cute. Bringing the bag up you tip the contents into your mouth one at a time. ****  
** **

Chew, chew... swallow. ****  
** **

The rings disappear halfway down your throat as your body fully absorbs the magic. There were only three rings, but with two hit points each, your muscles didn’t feel so sore anymore. Still was, but you can move and walk around normally.  
  
“You’re looking better, so can you please leave now?” The harsh tone in Jake’s voice grabs your attention enough to notice the scowl on his face. He wasn’t looking at you, but rather at Papy. The Bitty didn’t seem bothered with it so you didn’t put much thought to Jake’s behavior.   
  
He was right though. It was way past the time for you to be heading back home. Nodding your head at Jake, even if he couldn’t see it as he lead the way back, you started to finally make your way out the room after the Bitties. As you pass by one of the many closed doors, the Bitties stop and turn to wave good night.   
  
You wave back with the hand still holding onto Baby Blue’s glove. It’s presence prominent in your mind. There had to be a good place to put it down. Just not here, where you might lose it. Back home there were plenty of containers, boxes or perhaps a pocket. Something. You’ll figure something out. Continuing to walk down the hallway, a voice calls out.   
  
"hey, buddy. sorry if i seem a bit on _edge_ but aren't we supposed to leave with you after a week? now, i don’t mean to be _sharp_ with you. just making sure, encase rules around here changed and it _escaped_ my mind is all.”   
  
What. Rules?   
  
You ponder what Sansy said. So the whole, week of visitation wasn’t only a requirement for the person trying to adopt, but also for the Bitties? Okay. Maybe it was so that both sides of the deal prove that they were serious about the whole process. Something along those lines. But how would you know if the Center changed their policies or not? Their website isn’t really all that great for information gathering.   
  
Maybe Sansy wasn’t talking to you, but to Jake? A glance Jake’s way and you saw the dude with his head on the wall. Uh… No, Jake wasn’t a visitor. And even though you had no plans to adopt any Bitties, this rule would only apply to you in this case. So what do you say? Sansy is watching every shift of your face as he awaits your answer. The other Bitties seem to have a realization as they squint-glare at you.   
  
Rather at your hand.   
  
You look at the hand they were squint-glaring.   
  
….   
  
Edgy!   
  
Seeing the angry Bitty all makes sense now. What Sansy had said were all puns! About you forgetting that Edgy was still with you and that you were about to continue walking with the Bitty out the Center and back home. Clever but holy shit. That would have been really terrifying if that had happened. You had forgotten about Edgy since he hadn’t been biting or misbehaving after he opened the bag for you.   
  
Now the Bitty was trying to make himself even smaller in your hold. His feathered lined hood was pulled up and covering his face. Was this the ‘can’t see you can’t see me’ method? It wasn’t working. Lowering into a crouch, ooohhh the pain, you place Edgy back on the ground. He wasn’t letting go.   
  
He had his face pressed up against your fingers, his arms wrapped around your palm. He was saying something but you couldn’t tell what with the muffling. You did feel Edgy’s warm breath and the edges of his sharp teeth as he spoke. It tickled a little. Or a bite. Heh.   
  
“Yer comin’ back, aint ya?”   
  
Well, yeah. You were. Had to bring Baby Blue his glove back. Then you were out of there and going back to your day to day life. Telling that to Edgy, with the other Bitties in ear shot wasn’t a good idea. You keep quiet.

  
“Ya gotta. Nah jus’ fer the brat’s sake eitah.” With a swift motion, he’s leaving indents of his teeth into the flesh of your palm just above the wrist. “So I’ll see ya when I see ya.”   
  
You’re shocked when he gives your hand a last squeeze and then poofs away. He appears right between Baby Blue and Sansy before he goes through the Bitty door you hadn’t notice was there. The other Bitties look a bit awkward now, but they follow suit. The last one to go through the door was Baby Blue. He gives you a wobbly huge grin then heads in.   
  
Standing back up you follow Jake until your standing back outside the front of the store, you hadn’t notice the small walk to here. There’s just so much in your head at the moment that the rooms and hallway didn’t compute. It’s the sudden harsh tone in Jake’s voice that brings you back. Though you didn’t realize you had stopped to look back at him till you were staring at his face.

  
"You’re going to be coming back tomorrow." He doesn’t wait for your answer. "I don't know what you did, or how you did it, but those five Bitties have already become really attached to you. So when you come back tomorrow, don’t cause any trouble." Jake is taller than you and you just notice that. You can't believe you didn't notice this before now. How was that even possible? "Am I clear?"   
  
You wanted to say that the reason you came here today was just to finally meet with a Bitty, or at least attempt to in case none came to talk with you. You weren’t expecting any of them to actually want a bond. Or be part of your life. You have your doggy waiting for you. That’s all you need to keep you going. Nothing else.   
  
Baby Blue’s glove feels heavy in your hand... ****  
** **

Jake has this serious air about him, the pulsing of his pure Kindness emitting off of him is making it really frustrating for you. A small and calm part of you is nudging your thoughts towards reason. Blasted Green Magic side effects. ****  
** **

Those cute little guys did get pretty attached to you, why is a mystery. There’s a kind of small hope they were kidding about bonding. But Bitties don't kid about that sort of thing, ever. It's such an important part of their being that any stab at it would immensely hurt their feelings. So that whole conversation they had that you blocked out was really terrifying. One of many reasons why you didn’t want to come back.  
  
One hand felt ready to drag you down. Another was burning up.   
  
You made a promise. That’s that. You were going to come back. ****  
** **

With a nod of your head, you turn back and walk the rest of the way out the Center and down to the nearest bus stop. What kind of Kindness was that? Since when did Kindness mean demanding things from others? Nothing in the Center makes any sense and you really just want to be at home already. ****  
** **

At least your phone is still mostly charged so you can jam to your tunes to help pass the time. Thank goodness for small favors. Looking up when the next bus comes, you’re happy to see that there is still a bus running your route. However when you see that it was coming in an hour you want to bang your head on something flat and hard. ****  
** **

Hahaha… Why can’t you be at home already?


	3. Honestly, I'd Rather Be Sleeping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. What a month. Whelp, here's the first chapter of the year.  
> So look, this chapter is mostly edited. It took me so long to write this one. There are no bitties in here, but some ground work and hints. I'm gonna be honest, I'm not a 100% sure I can get the 4th chapter out in a month. I'm gonna try to though. And it's not cause I don't want to let you guys down! Okay. It's cause I said I was gonna update monthly so I'm gonna do it. Geeze.  
> Drop a like or something. My head hurts. Nnnnn.  
> Go, go. *shooing motion*

The doors close behind you as the creaking and groaning of the hunk of metal continues down the path of near darkness ahead. You had stepped off the bus with your earphones in and music as your sole companion. Your phone battery was at 10%, and you thought it should be enough to last till you get home, maybe. Speed walking is a thing.

Some time later, you’ve become a panting, sweaty mess of a human being. Exercise can go and fuck itself in its toned asshole.

The road starts to tilt uphill, curving while changing from concrete sidewalks to a beaten down winding path. There’s a decrepit stone-wood bridge, though it’s easier to jump over the dried up river than to try stepping on those termite infested planks. Past it is the arching hall of trees with their seasonal colors. Not that you could really tell right now, moonlight doesn't let you see many details.

Going through it means that you have reached the middle of forest central, at least it seems that way. Neighbors are miles away from you, thank goodness. Wifi would be a bitch if you didn't have your own box thing that supplies you with it. Decent speed on most days. Storms make everything laggy, not that it bothered you. No one's really complained about the internet connections since you rarely have any guests over.

Unless you count all the odd animals regularly coming over to find your dog. Apparently they’re all his friends. You don’t really doubt it. It’s a hassle having to play host to them while your dog is out doing his thing. They tend to want to eat all your food. Especially the raccoon twins. At least they like to keep you up to speed with the local woodland news as they scour your home for anything of interest. You wonder if the cops will find that body the chipmunks were nagging about last week.

When the song you’re listening to stops mid chorus, you know that your phone's battery has finally died. Staring past the last line of trees, you see the red clay roof and tan stone walls of your home. All the stress and worries melt away as you walk through your front door. It’s safe here.

~*~

Sunlight filters through the window onto the warm thick blankets wrapped around you. It’s quiet besides the bed creaking as you shift around. Slowly, you open your eyes to stare at the blank wall to allow your mind to reboot. Certain memories make you groan, turning over to lie on your back. You cover your face with an arm to avoid looking at your nightstand. The intense feeling of just sleeping in for the day gives its daily temptation. Was there anything that needed your attention right this instant? There’s not much, and most activities could be done in the comfort of your bed. Like sleeping.

“Gruff.”

Oh shit. How long has your dog been in your room? Pretending to not have heard anything, you pull your blankets over your head. Today is bed day. The fates have foretold it in their prophecy. 'Active Day' was yesterday, and yesterday was something you had hoped to forget about today. At least the majority of it.

“Grr, Ru-uff!”

“No humans here. Please wait for the beep to try again.” The sounds of your muffled voice could barely be heard from under your winter blankets. A lovely benefit of Fall was the resurfacing supply of winter stuff. As the weather goes from chilly to down right freezing, your sheets and wardrobe were changing to keep you sick-free.

“Huff.”

The soft tapping of nails on hardwood floor informs you that Dog has given up on waking you, for now. Hm, it must not be that late in the morning since Dog hadn’t really bothered to get you up. Yet who really cares about time when there's sleep to be had? Pushing the covers away from your face for some fresh air, you sigh as your eyes start to close. If you were lucky enough you can get back into that dream you were forgetting about. It was maybe a nice dream. There were lots of cuddles happening, that much you could recall.

_Boing!_

Your eyes snap open as the force of Dog’s jump lifts you out of bed. Hovering in mid air for a split moment, you turn your head to see Dog with an accomplish look in his dual colored eyes. When you land, you're on the floor trapped in the blankets you had sought shelter in. Struggling against the confines of the soft material, you make your way out. The fast beating of your heart is all you can hear as you see, a Border Collie happily panting down at you.

The left side of his furry face is black with a blue eye, the right is white with a gold eye. This is your dog. Dog doesn’t have a name, that you can pronounce. Dog which is only referred to as your dog to save the both of you some hassle. The two of you are, in actuality, on equal footing. If you don't say he's _your_ dog however, then other humans would start asking questions that you’d rather not bother listening to.

"You could have broken the bed." Your voice was hoarse, filled with drowsy reluctance. Dog just continues to pant, letting his tongue hang out to one side. Cute bastard. Then he gets off the bed and walks out the room. As if he did nothing wrong.

Now that you've been forced from your bed, it was time to face the day. Patting carefully around on your nightstand for you phone, you see that it's only half past 9. Would another half an hour kill him before waking you? Groaning, you get up and walk out your bedroom, letting the blankets still wrapped around your shoulders trail behind. The heater was working fine, but mornings are chilly. Spotting him sitting on his seat at the table, your stomach talks very loudly.

You both ignore it while you make something to eat. Dog gets a plate of mostly magically infused food, while you have a few slices of toast with, stuff smeared on top. It's very filling. Honestly. Stop looking at me like that Dog. Now it's your turn to huff as you shuffle your way out the kitchen. You head back to your room to use your private bathroom. The blanket was left by the entrance, it was time to hop into the shower and do other hygienic stuff.

Squeaky clean, you're picking up the blanket from the floor to return to your bed. By now, Dog should have left to go and mingle with the other creatures around the property. This was your chance to get back in bed out of spite. Was this you being petty? Nope. Looking up, you see Dog. Lying. On. Your. WHOLE. Bed.

Thatrazzlefrazzlefurbagofadorablenessshitdamnitthatsyourbedgetoff!

"Off."

His response to your demand is to wag his tail very slowly.

"Now."

Turning to lay on his back, he looks at you with all the confidence that he'll have his way.

"Dog!"

"Boof!"

Why is he barking back at you? That isn't… No? He needs to get off or scoot his fluffy tail over and make room. Attempting to forcibly remove him just makes him squirm around the bed and out of your grip. Then he's back to taking over all the space. You're not sure how long you try to take back your mattress but you have accomplished a streak of failures. In the end, you’re left to sprawl out on the hard, unloving floor.

"Ha-arf. Ruff ruff, groff."

You turn your head away from the bed. He was being logical. Using reason to keep you off the bed by reminding you that the storages were running low and that the guest bedrooms are in need of new quilts. You reason that there were enough supplies to last at least another week. There was a schedule to follow. A reason for those damn set dates for when you would leave your home to go out into the world. You weren't supposed to go out for another three weeks. THREE!

The quilts, like everything else, could wait.

"Bork."

That was a low blow from Dog. A heavy pressure could be felt from the other side of your bed from the nightstand. It was coming from a small capsule you got from those weird gacha machines at the exit of the grocery store yonks ago. It cost you a quarter to get the keychain you didn't want but still kept. Inside the plastic capsule now lays a singular miniature blue glove. Staring blankly at the ceiling is so much fun. This was you trying to mentally escape from responsibilities.

Going deeper into your head space. Getting farther and farther away from the knot tightening in your gut. Staring at the ceiling, then through it to see the nothingness beyond. Your breathing starts to become shallow until there is hardly any movement of your chest raising with your breaths.

You don't hear Dog getting off the bed or making his way towards you. He only gains your attention when he sits by your side, one paw coming to lightly tap your shoulders. Hands tightening, your eyes grow larger as you come back from that place in your mind. A loud gasp as your body informs you it’s need for more air. Panic starts to creep its way inside as you turn your head. Seeing Dog’s dual color eyes as he tilts his head to one side instantly relaxes you. Whelp, he gets his way. Again. Sighing as you stand up, you throw the blanket back onto the bed and start to get dressed. The loud happy panting Dog makes as his tail wags at a high speed provides a warm feeling.

Dog tells you that today was going to be a real nipple freezer so you should dress in more layers. Undershirt, long sleeves, then a thick sweater on top. You don’t want to wear the long johns under your pants, but Dog isn’t having it. Wearing two pairs of pants sucks.

In one of the large dresser drawers is a lot of shit other people would think was trash, random things you can’t help but need to take with you on outings. You fill some of your pockets with the usual rocks, twigs, random colored string, writing utensils, paper scraps, and coins. On top of the dresser are your, more important, things. Including your small black book. You stuff that in the kangaroo pocket of your sweater.

Your phone never leaves your side, but you make sure to grab a random pair of headphones, their tan colored today. Why was there only three pairs? Where did you put the other two? Eh, it didn’t mattered. Finished, you leave your room.

You pass by the two smaller bedroom on your left, both rooms have their own bathroom. The open concept kitchen is to the right of you, past that to the back of the house, is the dining room which had an exit to the backyard. Making your way to the kitchen, you go through the many cabinets finding random individual packs of snacks to stuff your remaining pockets. The living room is next to the kitchen, two smaller bedrooms with a shared bathroom down a hall on the other side of it, along with being the entrance hallway to the house. Just before the front door is the study that could easily be a fifth bedroom if need be.

There’s a second floor, but no stairway. There should be no reason to ever go up there. Normally. The attic is where all the seasonal items go when they’re not in use. The basement is part laundry room and part pantry. There is a garage, but you don’t drive.

You almost make it to the study before something hits the back of your knees and you reflexively take hold of a wall. The sudden attack had almost floored you. “What the hell was that for?” Instinctively you don’t turn around. Dog’s eyes burn through your layers to your soul from behind.

Righting yourself, you keep moving forward without looking at him. He growls at you before your hand could touch the doorknob. “I’m not forgetting anything.” You feel guilt pooling into your stomach once more. Dog only stares harder. It's unbearable to the point where your palms start to get sweaty.

“I’m not forgetting anything.”

You’re proud that your voice holds firm, despite your hand shaking as it hovers there, waiting to grab hold of the doorknob. The goal for today is a supply run. That’s all. Nobody believes the lie. Dog growls at you again.

“I-I’ll call the Center. Let the employees know without having Baby Blue find out.” His growling doesn’t stop. It doesn’t get louder either. “It’ll be quick, tell ‘em I’m busy. That is true. The shopping center is in the other side of town. I’m going to be carrying a ton of bags everywhere.”

These aren’t excuses. Today was just not a good day to see them, the bitties. You were... Today wasn’t a good day. That’s all. You couldn't handle seeing that expectant look in Baby Blue’s eyes. Being surrounded and climbed on. What if they get the wrong idea? You’d be misleading them into thinking you were going to adopt any of them. You couldn’t.

That… hurt? Did it hurt?

Why would thinking that hurt you? You know that your lifestyle wouldn’t allow for unknown variables. Nothing could make you stand out from the crowd. What ties you make had to be ones that could easily be cut without any to little concern from others. You have Dog by your side. You aren’t lonely. 

_“Yer comin’ back, ain’t ya?”_

You fall onto your knees, arms laying limp at your sides. You didn't want to see the bitties. This was selfish, you knew it was and you hate it. The basic level of curiosity you’d carried had already been satisfied yesterday. There’s no need for you to go out of your way to see them again. You can forget about the capsule, it’s nothing but a burden. Your eyes shut while you shake your head. It was an obligation that you never wanted.

_“Ya gotta.”_

Is this what being suckered into a shitehouse felt like? Your head thumps on to the front door. You weren't being fair to Baby Blue, or the others. He hadn’t forced you to accept his mission, even if you felt it was hard to refuse, you still could have, but you didn’t. You accepted the glove and now you have to do the right thing. Keep your word.

The hand that Edge had attempted to leave his mark on shows nothing but smooth skin. It lays on your lap as a ball lodges in your throat. Regret is filling you with anxious energy that leaves you stuck. This time, you're still aware enough to notice Dog coming around to lay half his body on your lap. He noses your hand so it lays on top his head. It's grounding, trapping, warm and his steady breathing is everything good in the world.

Today was not an active day, but you were going to do things. Mindlessly you stand with Dog, he leads you back to your room towards your nightstand. You pick up the capsule and don’t let go of it until you’re nudged into putting on a coat on top of everything else you’re wearing. The coat has zipper pockets, you zip one up with the capsule inside.

Dog leads you out the house, all the way up to the bus stop and waits until you're safely inside the hunk of metal. After paying, you go to sit in the middle row, next to a window. Habit has you pulling your headphones out to play any music for white noise. Looking out the window, Dog was nowhere to be seen.

~*~

People were everywhere. Stupid, clumsy, rude, CRACKHEADS-! Who just stepped on your foot!? Of course it’d be the _one_ day you were _not_ in the proper state of mind to deal with this shit, that you’d have to. Shoving your way through the crowds as best as you could, you try to make your way to the small, probably haunted, pharmaceutical store. The town does have one of the bigger pharmacy store chains that everyone goes to, but that in itself is the reason why you don't. Those stores didn't have what you needed anyway.

Some people rush past you. Others were on their phones. There's a few who seem to be searching for someone. It's a rainbow of colors that could hurt your eyes if you aren’t careful. Hints of orange, cyan and purple were the most prominent at the moment. A large flash of Patience blinds you to a stop. Squinting, you spot a small girl waiting next to an female adult who is yelling into the phone. The girl is just quietly holding her, maybe mother's, hand, watching the people walk by. You’re not sure why her soul had flared so suddenly, but she looks okay. Picking yourself up, you continue on your way. The shop was only a few more blocks ahead.

"I'm sorry messy Jess. Looks like it's just gonna be me and you today, but that's fine right? You always have a great time with your cousin Lory."

"Yeah. They're always busy, but you always have a lot of free time lordy Lory."

Their laughter blends in with the rest of the noise. You're not squinting anymore since the kid and her cousin walk in the opposite direction. There are a few more sudden spikes in color before you make your way to the shop. None were done in distress so those don’t catch you off guard.

Why did there have to be so many kids around with their bright solid souls. Wasn’t today a school day? Or was that yesterday? The adults were easier to handle, their souls tend to be more dull, some even mixed. A soft throbbing could be felt in the side of your skull as you make your way. Great, the start of a wonderfully damned headache. The rundown looking building of the pharmacy is slowly coming to view.

The moment you step in front of the store, all the colors that had been plaguing you finally dull out. Why this happens, you aren’t sure. Has to be some sort of spell or a.o.e.(area of effect) inscriptions. You couldn’t see any magic wording anywhere on the building, you’ve looked before. It doesn’t really matter much, right now you were thankful for the respite. An eerie sense of relief washes over you as you push the door open. There's no bell to ring for your arrival. The hinges don't squeak as you enter.

Despite the complete silence of your entrance, you knew that The Pharmacist was aware of your every step.

Little to no light enters the store. Everything is covered in deep shadows that warp just how large or small the shop actually is. Naked light bulbs dangle above giving enough light to let you see a hand in front of you. A heavy weight settles around your shoulders as a body leans against your back. The soft steady breathing of what you’ve come to know, sort of, as The Pharmacist’s lets you know they’re ready for you

"My favorite human! How are you? Missed me I bet. How could you not? We are the best of friends after all."

The first time you had come to this shop, The Pharmacist’s lack of personal space had caused a violent reaction. You had mange to shake them off you, and some, but hearing them speak from within the depths of the dark was worse than knowing their exact location. Now, you don’t bother with the extra baggage you carry as you make your way around the shop.

You know there are shelves and stands filled with The Pharmacist’s merchandise somewhere around. Maybe. Those shapes at least look like bottles and boxes. It doesn't matter since you couldn't see them or what they hold anyways. Not for the first time, the thought to take your phone out to use the flashlight app crosses your mind.

"Why are you here? For the usual? It's early. Why are you here so early?” You could hear the sounds of The Pharmacist sniffing. It’s not the oddest thing that has happened so you don’t put much thought into their actions. “You smell different."

The air around you shifts as The Pharmacist moves around your person. The sniffling gets louder but they don’t hinder your aimless strides. "Ah-ha. It's here. You smell different here."

There a tap against the pocket that held the glove. You're quick to put your hand over that spot and hasten your steps. The only part of the store that you could clearly see is the entrance, and across from it lies the counter. You purposely bump into the counter to signal you're ready to pay.

The weight of The Pharmacist is gone. No footsteps, no creaking floors, you just know they’re now standing in front of you, behind the counter. "I see you've found everything that you were looking for. That'll be 10g or 50 human dollars total. Your pick."

Taking out the little black book, you place down 3g and $35 on the counter. Instantly a small bag hangs off your other hand and you turn to leave. The Pharmacist’s, "See you soon," catches your attention before the door closes behind you. It was different from their normal farewell.

The sun is still high in the sky, it’s light almost blinding as you adjust. Walking away, the pharmacy shop looks like it’s been abandoned for decades. There is a sign on the old door saying it's closed. Should someone jiggle the handle, they’ll discover that the door is locked.

With the small plastic bag in hand you make your way back through the loud colors to the nearest bus stop. Your next destination is the local bookstore. You’d normally walk there, but with how crowded the streets were, you’d rather take the bus this time.

~*~

The bus was crowded as well. All the seats were taken so you had to stand along with the other passengers. At least no one here could step on your foot. Being close to this many people is uncomfortable. Gross, someone in here stinks like sweaty cheese. Two more stops and freedom.

By the time your stop has arrived, you have leveled up your holding breath skill. You don’t take any breaths until the bus is behind you. That was horrible and people suck. You weren’t sure what was worse. Having your foot randomly stomped on, or being surrounded by body odor?

The bookstore was, thankfully, just down the block from the bus stop. It had mossy green walls and black trimmings around the large front windows. The cursive was too loopy for you to tell what it was called, so you dubbed it Feather Quill. Seeing as there was a fancy feather pen as the stores logo.

It’s a two story building that was tall rather than wide. Pushing the door open, a small bell rings above your head. Inside is warm lighting with rows of bookcases lined up in neat order. This place gives off a sense of comfort as you walk on the plush grey carpet.

“Sorry! I’ll be right with you!”

There’s a loud feminine voice that calls from the back of the first floor. That must be Daisy. She’s the store’s niece who works when she’s not busy with her schooling. It seems she was preoccupied with shelving at the moment. You just keep walking towards the spiral staircase that leads to the second floor.

The more mainstream books were sold on the first floor with bright signs about new releases and discounts. There were a few book series you were waiting for their next release, as well as a handful of authors you’d like to check up on. But since you were here ahead of schedule, you know there wasn’t anything you’d be interesting in reading on the shelves.

The second floor was more for those to read their newly purchased books and buy a small snack from the café in the front right corner. There are also those who use the quiet atmosphere to do their projects or crafts. You head to the back end of the other side of the floor where the shelves were more densely packed.

The books sold on the second floor were more informational base. So they were pretty heavy books. They were also a bit dusty since most customers hardly came to this part of the store. The air tickles your nose enough to bother you, but not make you sneeze. Great.

Past the shelves is a small counter by the left wall. A lanky man that looks to be in his mid forties is hunched over an old book. A pair of gold rimmed, templeless glasses lay on the tip of his straight nose as hazel colored eyes skim the pages.

“Hey there, Mr. Barclaw. I’m here for a check up.”

You start going through your pockets as you try to locate your little black book. Mr. Barclaw’s eyes look, he takes off his eyewear, placing it within his shirts breast pocket, before sitting up straight. Running a hand through his pepper salted hair, Mr. Barclaw reaches out for your book. You place it in his hand once it’s located.

He turns the book one way, examining it closely, slowly flipping through the pages. “Hm, the spine seems to be holding well. You’ve been writing with too much force again it seems.” His voice is deep as he speaks slowly at you. He gives you a searching look before putting his attention back on the book. “There are still enough blank pages until the  proper  appointed time. Just keep it out of wet surfaces, and stop using that red pen. It bleeds into the inscriptions and messes with the pages limits.”

He hands you back your book that you stuff into one of your pockets. Since he hadn’t done any maintenance work on it, you don’t have to pay him. “Sure thing Mr. Barclaw. Any news on the letters?”

“No.” The aged man rubs the bridge of his nose. He makes the shooing motion with his hand signaling that he was done. You walk away with miffed and grudging acceptance.

Heading down the stairs, Daisy spots you. She smiles warmly as she tries to make polite conversations. There’s really not much you know about her, and you make sure to keep it that way. She wasn’t like her uncle Mr. Barclaw, The Pharmacist or you. Daisy, as well as most everybody in this town were people you couldn’t get close to.

When that was done with, you head out and towards the bus stop. Checking your phone, the battery was at 85%. Getting your headphones in place, you wait for the bus to come. It was gonna take a few transfers to get to your next stop.

Normally, you’d go to the grocery store next. Then after head straight home with your bags of food things. Normally, you wouldn’t feel a heavy weight in your zipped up coat pocket dragging you down.

When the bus finally comes, you’ve gone back into your headspace. Working on automatic, you pay your fair, get your transfer, and sit on the available middle seat by the window. The music playing is your ears is nothing but muffled sounds. You were going to the Bitty Bones Adoption Center.


	4. I Want To Be Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took forever and a half.  
> Whelp, hopefully next chapter won't take as long.  
> No worries about this story not updating. Sometimes, it'll take longer than I would like, is all.  
> Can you believe I still want to update at least once a month?  
> *cross fingers*

The bus drops you, amongst other people, off in the more quiet part of town. There are more homes and apartments that outnumber the shops. Leaves still hung desperately on the trees as the wind blows harder than the day before. Huddling into your protective layers, you rush to the beige rectangular building of The Center.

****

This was going to be an in and out situation, you tell yourself. Looking through the window, you see that there's already a small crowd inside. That makes the beating of your heart speed up, but this could also be a good thing. They could be your cover. Walking through the automatic doors, you head straight for the counter.

****

There are mostly Monsters, lounging around, but you find an empty spot to stand. Looking to the side, the waiting area had a couple of humans sitting on the plastic blue chairs. You don’t see any of the workers here which is only mildly concerning.

****

Plowing ahead, you dig through your pants’ pockets for a scrap of paper and something to write with. You should really organize where you put your random shit, why can’t you find anything? Ah, you pull out a crumble up yellow stick-it-note and half a pencil. Thankfully it’s the half with the point, but what happen to the other half? Who cares.

****

Putting pencil to paper, your hand freeze. What were you supposed to write? Hey, it’s me. The human who stayed well past closing the other day? That didn’t sound weird at all. Should just write your name down… Did you ever give the people here your name?

****

How did you spend so much time here and not give out your name? You want to thump your head against your hand, but that might cause a scene so you hold back. Still, the urge is there so you scowl at yourself instead.

****

Taking your eyes off the post it, you notice a change in the tense air. You search for what might be the cause, since it wasn't you this time, only for your eyes to wander back to the humans.

****

One of the humans gets up with nerves spiking the orange that surrounded him. He started to pace as he pulled at his hair. Okay, not weird. The human was anxious about something. Watching him was helpful to distract your own mind. Seeing how the human’s orange glow was about to brighten up with resolve, a worker finally comes out.

“Hey dude. Sorry for the wait. Rooms ready for you to-woah! Chill dude! Your Boss ain’t going anywhere!”

The worker had barely reached their side of the counter before the human had just jumped over it and rushed to the back. The Monster’s were having a good inside laugh about something. One made an Alice joke about being late. The other humans just sighed as they waited for their turn to see the Bitties. The worker, not Jake, is a human named Rick. Almost as tall as yourself, give or take an inch or two. Was it the shoes? Were his shoes making his height that way? Why was he staring at you?

Maybe, just a hunch, but probably because you were staring at him first. Not that you could help it. Humans looked the same unless you stared at them long enough. You didn’t want to call Rick, Jake by accident. Hell, even the Monsters tend to look the same within their own sub-species. Would it kill their evolution to have some diversity within their group?   


“Okay there bud, you’re giving off some freaky vibes right now. Do I got like, a second mouth or something? The hell you staring at me for?” Rick is leaning on the counter now as a Monster walks through the little door on the side to leave. There’s a look in his eyes, not that you could tell anymore, you looked away from embarrassment the moment Rick started to talk. “I get it now. It’s alright, happens to me all the time. You just fell for my dashingly good looks. Handsome men must be your typ-OW! WHO BONED ME!?”

You jump back a little as you saw Rick reach an arm over his shoulder. He picked out a small bone, bringing it to the front to glare at it. He pockets the bone, before he starts yelling towards the back about rules. You weren’t really listening as you walked as far away from Rick as possible. You can faintly pick up the sounds of muffled laughter and small tapping feet around you. But when you look down, there’s nothing there. Huh…   


The Monsters and humans around you don’t seem bothered by the unseen Bitties. So, this might be a common thing. Though how you felt about the Bitties flinging random magic attacks, so long as they aren’t aimed towards you, its was slightly alright. To keep safe, you kept your vigilance up. Maybe now is a good time to leave.

****

Placing both hands into your pockets, you remember your reason for being in the Center in the first place. One hand brushed against the capsule, the other had made a crinkle sound with the note and pencil. Right. Babyblue. You couldn’t leave without at least giving his glove back.

****

Sighing, you pull out the note and try to write something again. A hello, a sorry, throw in some lame joke, scribble it out because it was too lame, then rip up the note in frustration before throwing the pieces into your plastic bag. Time for round 2.

Four attempts later, there’s no more scrap paper or old recites, you still have nothing to show for your time. Everything you’ve tried to write just came out so, fake and cold. By now, there are fewer people in the room waiting for their turn.

****

Banging your head onto the counter, you take deep breaths to calm down. Since writing a note on the spot wasn’t working, then you were better off just coming back some other time. That way, you can formulate your thoughts to Blue and the others as well.

Okay, that is a solid plan. With that thought, you look up and turn towards the door. You manage to take one step before a familiar voice reaches you.

“Where do you think you’re going? The rooms are back here.”

All your small hairs stood on end. There was no mistaking that voice. Jake has spotted you, and his damn Green magic was shielding off your path. Fuck. Did he even know what he was doing!? Though it was a pretty impressive size shield, more like a wall, the amount of intent in it wasn’t much. Enough to make his point, he did not want you to leave. But with just a push from your end, there really was nothing stopping you from going out.

****

Except for the rows of very strongly intended blue bones interwoven into the wall. There was no way a mere human could summon any type of bone attack, and only one type of Monster could. This building was filled with different Skeletal Monsters who seem all too trigger happy to unleash some magic today. Apparently humans as well.

Turning your head to face Jake, you were able to spot where the source of the attack was coming from. A Softy Bones was resting on the top of Jake’s head. One of his eye sockets was open, fuzzy eye light staring straight at you. Now that, that explains absolutely nothing about why this Bitty was helping Jake out.

****

“mmmm. they really do like to stare.” The Softy yawns as he pulls the yellow blanket tighter around himself.

  
“Hush now, you’re supposed to be resting.” Jake makes a soft expression, that imagine was too weird that your thoughts halted. Gruff, pushy Jake. Looking all docile for the Bitty he couldn’t even see.

****

“i am. this is me sleep talking. zzz.” The Bitty rubs his eye socket as he lets out an actual yawn. He blinks once, twice, and a third time before turning their head away.

****

Those two seem to be close. The air was harmonious as it covered Jake and the sleepy Bitty. It was a soft white light that seem to float around the two like wispy smoke. A very unnoticeable small smile forms on your face as you watch the transparent tendril seem to pool around the center of Jake’s soul. Wah… Shock hits as your eyes register what you were actually seeing. Some dark colored Green magic was being taken in to the Softy Bones, while the Bitty gave slow pulses of his own white magic in return. This was the closest you’ve come to seeing an almost formed bond. Woah.

****

A human’s soul contained so much concentrated magic, the matter of their bodies keeping it from leaking out. Normally, as a human grows, their soul trait starts to dim and change. No adult is just one aspect of magic. Yet, without any outlet, the magic inside them starts to rot away. The more a human is true to their nature, is caring and shows compassion, the longer it takes for the magic to spoil. It’s why children have such vibrant souls.

It’s why seeing Jake’s bright Green aura was so mesmerizing. With his age, a dull to murky soul would have been a common sight. Or not, such a soul would actually been rare to see, since they’re so infused into the body. Any sort of attempt the soul makes to release the excess magic by discharging into the body’s cell could potentially equate to odd cell mutations and diseases. Maybe, or not. You weren’t a magical biologist.

****

Yet a Monster’s body has no trouble having magic envelop their entire being. Not only that, as humans lose water as time goes by, Monsters would lose magic. Their pure unfocused traits not only continuously replenishes what their soul lets out, but also affect their very surroundings. This all refers to Monster’s that won’t fit comfortably into the palm of your hand of course.

****

Bitties seem to have the same amount of magic in their soul, without an equal balance of output. Instead of naturally having their excess magic dissipating from their bodies, Bitties seem to need to focus magic into every task. Hench their need to be around other’s much larger than themselves. You’ve read about it, in the stack of books you have in your home, written by people who knew their shit. Or had the papers that claim that they did. The concept and idea was interesting to imagine during those long nights staring out the window.

Seeing it happen right in front of you was something else. White soft tendrils were leaving the Softy Bone’s body as they seem to nudge against Jake’s Green aura. Little by little, the White tendrils would poke around his body, picking up different spots to bring back to the Bitty. Then the Green aura starts to expand and thin out as it fades into the air by the White tendrils. This process happens in seconds as the two talk to one another. Were they aware? Can the Softy Bones see or feel what was happening? Why did it’s magic act the way it does for Jake? What was their story, the reason?

You were so transfixed by the wondrous sight, you didn’t realize what was happening around you.

“Just wait here. The gang’ll be with you any second. Don’t cause any problems now.” Another tiny part of Jake’s Green aura was gently pulled away from the mass to be released into the air. It was only the dark colored parts. You couldn’t spot any dull Green being pulled out.

“i’m pretty sure it’s not the human we need to worry about. heh.” The Bitty was hardly keeping his single eye socket open as he watched his surroundings. His head was plopped on his palm, his banana yellow blanket covering the rest of his body like a burrito. Jake hardly moves his head, as when he turns, he also moves his whole body. The action was fluid.

****

“Come now. They ain’t that bad Sneaks. Give ‘em some credit.” There was a name drop. So the Bitty is called Sneaks. Alright then.

“this is why i’m stuck with you. you think too highly of every monster. you’re too kind!” You would like to question that Kindness. Even if you could see how pure it was becoming.

****

The memory of Jake basically bullying as you left last night coming to mind. There’s also that wall that was weakly summoned not that long ago. Now that you weren’t distracted, why weren't the Monster’s in the room surprised like you were about the summoned wall? You took a seat in the only chair in the room as you ponder this.

****

The banter of Jake and the Softy Bones, Sneaks, was shut off as soon as the small half door was closed. With it, the silenced magic sigils were activated and you were envelop in quiet. That was what brought you back to your senses. Frantically looking around, the room you were in was the same room from yesterday. Shit! Shit shit shit shit! You weren’t ready for this! 

****

How did you even get here?

****

This was bad, really bad. You had to make your escape before Blue shows up. You had to do...something. Walking out was the obvious choice. The thought made you feel like a dick though. A flash of desperate hope passes your mind. You had visited the Pharmacist before coming here. They tend to like giving out surprises. Not always good or helpful ones though.

You bring the bag onto the coffee table and start to rummage around in it. There were small Monster snacks, tiny vials filled with different colors, lucky you got a nearly filled Yellow one. Looks pretty pure too. Rare loot. You really didn't think you need more of the red one. Oh! There were a few pairs of broken glasses in here. Nice. You find a few scraps of what might have been from different ribbons. Were you supposed to sew them together or something? What did the ribbon even do again...

Ancient Human Monster armor is just weird. Thankfully, you just needed to collect them. Nothing else really. Could use them so long as they were the surplus. But, what for. Your life doesn’t require you to need armor. Theses days with Dog were safe.

****

"whatcha doin there soft lips?"

****

Fuck. This little fucker had found you first. Better than Blue being the first one to spot you. But Edgy was a close second you wanted to avoid. Your healed hand tingles where he had bit you. They clench while you face the Bitty.

****

Little dude got his jacket open again. Different sweater this time around. Wasn’t wearing the common shorts but rather some loose slacks and sneakers. Looking good there Edgy. To show your approval of his get up, you give him a thumbs up.

****

"What? Bitty got yer tongue?" He squints at you as he ignores your praise. He knows he looks good. He always does. Just, today he felt like wearing something different. Were you too lazy to say he look good? C’mon!

****

Was he mad? At you? Or is that Edgy’s resting bitch face. “No. You look sharp, Edgy.”

“heh, ‘course i do.” There’s that shit eating grin. It suited him better, even if you did want to wipe it off his face at the same time. “so when ya gonna answer mah question?”

Edgy walks up to where you have the bag open. You’re not sure if it was alright to close it before he sees. Might be more suspicious if you did that. You didn’t like trusting in the Pharmacist, but here you go. Tapping against the bag, you open it wide for Edgy to see.

He stares into the small plastic bag, rummaging around. There’s some muffled comments but you don’t bother to puzzle them out. Once Edgy was done, he closed it up and took hold of your hand. “should bring some jerky next time if yer gonna bring snacks. chicken is the best. and something besides juice. at least some soda.”

The white shimmer of the bag went unnoticed by him as Edgy climbed your arm and clung unto your chest. You watch him make his way up, wondering if you should just have your hand under him in case he fell off. You don’t, the way his sharp hands were making small holes in your clothes said you wouldn’t mind if he fell off. Still, you lean back enough so that Edgy could stop making the holes bigger as he holds tight. He rested at the same spot he had when you held him the other day.

The two of you sit there. Edgy didn’t seem to be much for words. Was that a common thing? Edgy Bitties, as far as books have told you, are loud. But that doesn’t mean talkative. This, wasn’t awkward. You both maintain eye contact. Neither of you saying a word as he just lays his head on your chest. Okay.   


“see pap. told you we could find him  _ hanging  _ around the hall.”   


“YOU SAID NO SUCH THING SANSY! AND KEEP YOUR PUNS AWAY FROM OUR HUMAN PLEASE.”   


“ain’t yer human. the hell ya two doin’ ‘ere?”

You could feel the tiny fingers puncture another layer of clothing when Edgy’s grip tightens. Thankfully they’d yet to reach your skin. You do look over to see the two newcomers. You didn’t like how Papy just called you theirs.

This misunderstanding needs to be fixed.

“ ‘ey! ya don’ need ta look at ‘em, soft lips. you’ll see. ya need me more than i’d need ya.”

****

It’s the tugging of your shirt that makes you feel like you’re being pulled down. Not what Edgy just said to you. That statement almost has you trying to pull him off you. The way these Bitties were acting was really scaring you.

****

It’s the shaking eye lights behind his scowl that stops you. You lift a hand to rub the back of his skull with your thumb, making small circles until those lights steady themselves. He only slaps your hand away after he feels better, his cheeks holding a pink tint to them.

****

Now with Edgy calmed down, you bring your attention back to the other two. Sansy was busy looking off to the side. He was wearing some comfortable clothes along with his jean jacket, that you wouldn’t mind lazing around in yourself. Do they have that top in human size? Papy looked like he was dressed for casual Friday at an office building. Very different from the battle body armor he’d worn last time, something most Papys tend to wear. Though he’s kept his shin and elbow guards on.

Papy smiles as he watches you and Edgy interact. It’s that tender, hard to look at, look again. He didn’t seem to mind that you just had a moment of sorts with Edgy. If anything, it was like Papy approved of it, which is weird. Most Bitties, even the more softer tempered ones, tend to appear jealous at times. Yet Papy wasn’t showing any signs of it.

****

You rested your hand on Edgy’s back. He tensed, thinking you’d try to pull him off. The thought had crossed your mind, but with the way he was holding on, you’d thought it best to avoid any further damage to your clothes. When he realized your intention, his smug smile returned and he settled back into place.

****

“spoiled.”

The smug smile stiffens as his red eye lights turn to the floor. He starts to growl softly as he intentionally rubs his cheeks into your clothes. Sure, he could admit he was acting like one of the newly aged Edgys, with his demands and clingy attitude. That’s just what Edgy’s do though. What was Sansy’s excuse?

“so what if i am? what, jealous?”

Uh. You didn’t like where this was going. Now Sansy and Edgy we’re having a glaring contest. “So… The weather is, nice?” That was a good attempt to change the topic.   


“IT IS HUMAN. THE WIND IS A BIT STRONG, BUT NOTHING THAT THIS AMAZING PAPY CANNOT HANDLE.”

It worked! You smile as you try to think about something else to talk about. “Did you leave the Center? Or did you hear it from the other visitors?”   


Papy laughs as he shakes his head. “NO HUMAN. THE OTHER BITTY’S HAD COMPLAINED WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THEIR ROOMS.”

That was right, there were Bitties in the front this time. Probably because it was still far from closing time. You hum as part of your attention keeps watch over the other two. Sansy had made his way towards your feet. Edgy was alternating between growling and snarling whenever Sansy got closer. Unsurprisingly, it seems like the little fucker didn’t want Sansy too close.   


“you wanna back down there, edgy.”   


“or wha? wha’cha gonna do, nothin’.”

A flash of blue glints in Sansy sockets before he makes a sharp u-turn on his heels. He shuffles back over to Papy’s side, his weight to one side. “hey pap, sorry to interrupt, but i could use a hand or two.” Sansy looks relaxed, as far as you can tell. Dude doesn’t really move his face much… Relying more on body language.

“I HAVE A BAD FEELING THAT A PUN IS COMING, BUT I WILL NONETHELESS HELP YOU.” Papy waves at you as he turns his focus onto Sansy. You weren’t missing the feeling of his attention or anything. Not with Edgy turning his body enough to leave some scratches on your hand. No blood shed thankfully.

****

“nah papy. i just knee you to give me a lift onto this here human’s leg. i didn’t finger you would accuse me of-”   


“ENOUGH!”   


The hell! Papy just grabbed Sansy by the little guys shoulder and then, flung him towards you. A lazy, smiling skeleton sails through the air and almost lands on the sharp bend of your knees. By reflex, you straighten it out to flatten Sany’s landing. That could have been dangerous. Funny if this were a cartoon or something, but it’s not. Why did Papy do that?

“HM, YOU WERE RIGHT SANSY.”

About what!?

Red magic grabs your bewildered attention. Edgy seems to be readying himself to launch an attack. His body was once again surrounded by his Red magic as he wiggles in your hold. You think he wants to get down so you try to let him, but he just bites your hand as he changes position. “get the hell off ‘em! ya aint comin’ up ‘ere!”

Fuck this, now was not the time to be a silent bystander. This is your bottom line, “ **Don’t** even think about using your magic while you’re on me.” The three Bitties stop what they’re doing as they seriously look up at you. Possibly surprised by the tone of your voice. You stare back at them, stern and unmoving. It doesn’t take long before they look away.

****

Edgy looks to the side, feeling the other two’s eye lights on him. He was the only one trying to use magic. “...sorry.”

The red glow dims but doesn’t disappear as Edgy frowns. Your hand rubs the top of his head as best as you can. It was fine so long as Edgy, or any of the other’s don’t try something like that again. He huffs and you huff back.

****

Something shuffles along your leg and you almost reflexively fling it off before you remember Sansy. He had moved to straddle your leg. It was kind of funny to see that his legs couldn’t even reach either side of your leg to hang off it. It looked more like he was attempting to do the splits. Thinking of that, how flexible were skeletons? Oh, now he’s scooting his boney ass across your leg.

****

“stop! the fuck ya think yer doin’ ya pile of shit?” Seems you weren't the only one who noticed. While Edgy still had his magic out, it was much calmer than before. Despite the small spikes as he growls and yells at the Sansy.    


“ _ scootin’ _ it be obvious? i’m climbing.” Once he was on your thigh, you bend your leg to a more relaxed position. Good thing too, you thought your muscles were gonna give out before Sansy made it.

Papy groans at the pun. Papy reprimands an unapologetic Sansy as he reaches the base of your stomach. He sends you a lazy wink as he grabs a handful of your sweater and pulls himself up. You note that Sansy doesn’t leave any holes, but he does use the ones that Edgy made when he gets tired. Edgy continues being a grump you pet whenever he gets too loud.

****

“Why Did No One Tell Me That We Were Training With My Human!” 

****

A heavy pressure wracks your body. You don’t dare look down as you unconsciously hold Edgy closer. He was busy yelling, probably more curses or something. You couldn’t hear it. You can feel the ends of your pants being tugged as Blue scrambles his way up. He’s rushing like he’s in some sort of race with Sansy. Though Sansy seems to be fast asleep on our chest. He past Edgy by half an inch, you have to keep Edgy from making more holes in your clothes. You’re not sure what’s holding Sansy up, but you don’t want to move in case it caused him to fall.

****

It seems like almost the whole gang's here. The Teacup from before, you aren’t sure if he had come and you’re too nervous to look around. You don’t want to see Blue, who is already climbing up to your shoulders and oh shit where is he going that’s your head!

Don’t shake.

****

Don’t Shake.

****

Don’t Shake!

****

“YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT IS ENOUGH.” Papy’s calm voice helps you ground yourself to the present before you can drift off into a panic. He claps his hands three times as the other Bitties stop to look down at him. Papy had moved from the floor to the coffee table.

“Why, I do agrrree. How did none of you notice how uncomfurrrtable ourrr human has become?”

Three neon colored balls of yarn, the same colors as Teacup, were flung towards you. Or rather, at the three Bitties on you. It startles you to see them, enough that you moved to the side and curled around them. You were able to keep Sansy and Edgy safe in your grasp as you fell off the chair. There wasn’t anything you could do for Blue other than hope he was quick enough to hold on tight.

“heh, knew ah like ya fer a reason. ain’t just fer yer soft lips e’tha.”

“Shut it, you little fuck. Ow, that hurt.” You’d landed on your elbow, the shock traveling through the incredibly  _ not _ funny bone. Not to mention the pain in your hips, might not want to move for a while. How could you forget to tuck and roll? Stupid surprise magic attack.

****

“WOWIE! Human, That Was Some Amazing Reflexes!”

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Your  _ ears! _ Why did Blue feel the need to scream into your ears!? Sansy was easy to remove, though the dude had this strange look on his face. Bet he wasn’t expecting any of those magic attacks either. Edgy wasn’t as difficult as he could have been, but the holes he left were pretty big. Then you scramble to get Blue away from your head and with the others. The tyke was climbing all over your head and shoulders until you caught him.

****

You were done. This was too much for you to handle and you cannot stand having magic being thrown around your person. It happened, and you’re on edge. Not literally, you’d already fallen over it literally. It’s just your nerves. You know what you mean, damn it!

****

“Good bye.”

Those were the last words you said as you rushed out the room, down the hall, and over the counter. You didn’t bother waiting for the bus stop as you ran. Past houses, past parks, past parked cars and barking dogs. You ran.

****

And you cried. Just a tear, or ten.

****

When you finally stop you notice that you were almost back to the other side of town. Your feet had taken you down the bus’ route and to a familiar area. You sat on the bottom step of a nearby stoop to catch your breath. Today was supposed to be a cold day, but after that... Shit, it felt like summer, you could hardly breathe.

You were supposed to go to the grocery store today. This late in the day, and how much colder it was going to get once the sun set, you really didn’t feel like it. There were hardly any other people around. The bus stop home was just around the corner. Might as well just head over once it was about to get here and go home.

****

What a horrible day. You need Dog and some movie background noise. Yep, good plan.

****

With shaky hands, you pull out your headphones and started to listen to your music. Deep breath in, hold, deep breath out. Calm and soothing thoughts... You continued this as you made it off the bus and walked back home. Dog had waited for you at the front door, his barks soft as the small Pomeranian jumped into your arms. You held Dog like you held Edgy and Sansy, safe and secure.

****

Dog nudges his cold wet nose against your cheek. He wasn’t much for tongue slobbering kisses, but you liked the lack of spit on your face. You place him on the bed, which he jumps off of before heading to the living room. You do your nightly rituals, washing, changing into sleepwear, and giving a deep sigh of relief that the day was over. The usual.

****

Glancing at the pile of clothes that you had worn today, you decide it was too much of a hassle to fix all the holes in the sweater. You tossed it to one side of the room. You’ll throw it away some other time. You put the rest of the clothes into the hamper and hang up your jacket. Now it was time to relax!

****

A gold eye and a blue eye stares at you from the couch. You ignore them as you gather up some snacks. A cinnabunny for Dog and a bowl of dog salad for yourself. The monster food would do some good to get rid of the last few aches in your body as well as lift up your mood. Dog raises a brow at your bowl but makes no comment.

****

The movie Dog chose was something about time traveling. Looked oldish. Probably from the 90’s or early 2000’s. Graphics are shit, the lines were cheesy, plot was okay. All in all, an alright movie. Nothing like today’s quality, that’s for sure. You chose the next one, it was an action movie in a foreign country. Lots of normal hand to hand combat. Your shoulders loosen as the movie went on and you paid attention to the actors body.

****

“Grruf.”

“I’m always staring. What’s new.”

****

“Rrr, ra-ah.”

“I was not. I was paying attention to their technique.”

****

“Rrr.”   
  
“I don’t need an interrogation from you, Dog. Today sucked. Everything about today from before this point was all fucked up. Okay? Now can I watch the movie?”

****

“Huff. Arrf ruff.”

****

The rest of the night went in silence as two more movies played. Soon, Dog trot his fluffy, curly tailed butt over to his room sending you a bark good night. You yawned one back, stretched, and knocked out on the couch.

****

You dreamed of a large blue glove chasing you. Bright, shaking red lights staring you down. Guilt, fear and shame clash around you as claps of thunder rumble above you in threes. The nightmare continues through the night as you mumble incoherently.

****

Dog comes back late into the night and jumps into your arms. It doesn’t stop the nightmare you’re having, but you do stop mumbling. He whines as he tries to help you through it.

****

Today really was a shit day for you. You should have slept in your bed instead.

****

~*~

****

Your first thought when you wake up is, “SHIT! I left my bag at The Center!” Shortly before you plop back down, asleep.


End file.
